;^JH'  ^ 


Stom  f^e  feifirari?  of 

(Ret).  ®.ffen  l^enrg  Q0rott?n,  ®.  ®. 

(j$equeat^e^  fig  ^im  to 
f ^  feifirari?  of 

(J)rinceton  t^eofogicaf  ^eminorg^ 

BX  8958  .H8  H37  1888 
Harlow,  Henry  Addison,  1830 

1913. 
A  history  of  the  Presbytery 

of  Hudson,  1681-1888 


v:;^'  ^^^ 


A  HISTORY 


^X  OF  Pf?/^^ 


OF  THE  ,     . 


V 

DEC  14  1911 


PRESBYTERY  OF  HUDSON. 


1681--1888, 


BY 


1/ 

REV.   HENRY  A.   HARLOW,  A.M. 


Stated  Clerk. 


MIDDI^ETOWN,  N.  Y.  : 

Stivers,  Slauson  &  Bo5'd,  Publishers  and  Printers. 

i888. 


"  THK  PKRMANENT  COMMITTEK  OF  ARRANGEMENTS," 
for  the  One  Hundredth  General  Assembly,  respectfully[recom- 
mend :  That  it  be  urged  on  all  the  Presbyteries,  to  arrange  for 
the  collection  and  publication  of  the  facts  of  their  history,  and 
that  they  be  requested  to  forward  two  copies  to  the  Stated  ^Clerk 
of  the  General  Assembly  and  to  the  Presbyterian  Historical 
Society  respectively. ' ' 

Min.  of  the  Gen.  Assembly,  i8S6,  p.  i6. 


Chester,  n.  y.,  19  April  1887. 
"  The  recommendation  of  the  General  Assembly  concerning 
'  the  collection  and  publication  of  the  facts  in  the  History  of  the 
Presb3^tery, '  was  referred  to  a  committee  consisting  of  Rev. 
Messrs.  James  C.  Forsythe  and  Charles  Beattie  and  Elder  Augus- 
tus Denniston." 

Min.  of  Presbytery,  p.  258. 

"  The  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  recommendation 
of  the  General  Assembly,  presented  the  following  report,  which 
was  accepted  ;  and  its  recommendations  were  adopted  seriatim. 

Your  committee  would  respectfully  report,  and  recommend 

First :  That  the  Rev.  Henry  A.  Harlow  be  appointed  to  pre- 
pare the  history  of  this  Presbytery. 

Second :  That  the  churches  be  directed  to  furnish  the  Historian 
with  a  history  of  each  church,  as  minute  and  full  as  possible,  to 
aid  in  its  preparation. 

Third:  That  the  Historian  be  suitably  compensated  for  his 
labor  :  to  which  each  church  is  urgently  requested  to  contribute. 

Fourth  :  That  five  hundred  copies  of  the  History  be  published 
by  the  Presbytery  and  at  its  expense. ' ' 

Min.  of  Presbytery,  p.  263. 

MoNTGOMKRY,  N.  Y.  20  Sept.  1887. 

"  It  was  made  the  third  order  of  the  day,  for  the  afternoon  to 
hear  the  history  of  the  Presbytery,  as  far  as  written." 

' '  The  third  order  of  the  day  was  taken  up,  and  Presbytery 
listened  to  the  reading  of  the  history  as  far  as  it  had  been  pre- 
pared.    After  which  it  was 

ResoevEd  :  That,  having  heard  from  Rev.  Henry  A.  Harlow, 
our  Historian,  a  specimen  of  progress,  we  express  our  most 
hearty  approbation  of  the  work  as  far  as  wTitten,  and  urge  its 
speedy  completion  in  the  same  philosophical,  clear  and  compre- 
hensive manner. ' ' 

Min.  of  Presbytery,  p.  284. 


THE 


PRESBYTERY  OF  HUDSON. 


CHAPTER  I. 

ACTION   OF  SYNOD   CREATING  THE   PRESBYTERY. — 

ORIGINAI.  ROLIv  OF  MINISTERS  AND  CHURCHES. — 

•     GENERAL  ANAI.YSIS  OF  THE  WHOLE  SUBJECT  FROM 

1 68 1  TO  1888. 

' '  The  Synod  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  in 
session  at  Newark,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  22,  1795, 

Resolved  :  That  all  the  ministers  belonging  to 
the  Presbytery  of  New  York  within  the  following 
bounds,  namely,  the  middle  of  the  Southern  moun- 
tains in  Orange  County,  and  the  Southern  bounds 
of  the  Presbytery  of  Albany,  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river  Hudson,  and  all  the  ministers  of  Dutchess 
Presbyter>^,  together  with  all  the  churches  within 
their  bounds,  be  erected  into  a  Presbytery  by  the 
name  of  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson  ; 

Whereupon  :  The  Synod  did  dissolve  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Dutchess,  and  erected  the  ministers  and 
churches  within  the  above  bounds  into  a  separate 
Presbytery,  under  the  name  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Hudson.     And 


HISTORY   OF 


Ordered  :  That  said  Presbytery  meet  the  first 
time  in  Franklin,  on  the  third  Tuesday  of  Novem- 
ber next,  at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  that 
Mr.  Mead  open  the  Presbytery  and  preside  'till  a 
moderator  be  chosen,  and  in  case  of  his  absence, 
the  senior  minister  present. 

Signed  by  order  of  Synod, 

WiivLiAM  Boyd,  Moderator." 

' '  Agreeably  to  this  order  of  Synod,  the  Presby- 
tery of  Hudson  met  in  Franklin,  Dutchess  County, 
(formerly  Frederick' s-Burgh,  now  Patterson,  Put- 
nam County,)  and,  in  the  absence  of  Rev.  Solo- 
mon Mead,  was  opened  by  the  Rev.  Nathan  Ker. 
with  a  sermon  from  Psalms  46:5.  God  is  in  the 
midst  of  her  ;  she  shall  not  be  moved :  God  shall  help 
her^  and  that  right  early. ' ' 

The  Presbytery  thus  constituted,  consisted  of  the 
following  ministers  and  churches  : 

Methuselah  Baldwin,  Pastor^  Pleasant  Valley. 

Jonathan  Freeman, 

John  Joline, 

Nathan  Ker, 

Andrew  King, 

Solomon  Mead, 

Jehu  Minor, 

John  Close,  W.  C. 


Hopewell  and  Deer  Park. 

Florida  and  Warwick. 

Goshen. 

Wallkill. 

Salem. 

Union.  (South-east.) 


Bedford, 

Bethlehem, 

Franklin, 

Newburgh, 

New  Windsor, 

Rumbout,  (Fishkill,) 

Pittsburgh, 


vacant. 


HUDSON   PRKSBYTERY.  7 

Of  these  ministers  seven  were  pastors;  and  of  the 
churches  seven  were  vacant.     Rev.  Messrs.  Joline, 
King,    Mead   and   Minor  were    absent,    and    two 
churches  were  represented  by  Elders  Reuben  Hop-  . 
kins  and  Matthias  Millspaugh. 

Inasmuch  as  each  of  these  churches  had  a  history 
extending  back,  in  one  instance  seventy-five  years, 
and  in  another,  one  hundred  and  fourteen  years, — 
it  is  evident  that  a  History  of  the  Presbytery  with- 
out a  glance  at  the  antecedents  of  these  churches 
would  be  defedlive  and  unsatisfadlory.  Including 
therefore  this  very  essential  part,  the  History  falls 
naturally  into  five  distinct  and  well  defined  periods, 
as  follows  : 

I.  The  Period  previous  to  Organization,  from  1681  to  1795.  V^^ 

II.  The  Period  immediately  after  Organization,  "     1795  "  1820,      --^^ 

III.  The  Period  of  Division,         -         .         .  "     1820  "  1840.   ..    ,— ^..^  J 

IV.  The  Period  of  Dual  Existence,          -        -      "     1840  "  1870. /3^ —      ^ 
V.  The  Period  of  Re-union,        -         .        .  "     1870  "  1888.  ^ '2o() 


PERIOD  MTECEDENT  TO  ORGMIZJITION. 


CHAPTER   II. 

SKETCHES    OF   THE   CHURCHES   IN    CHRONOLOGICAL 
ORDER  FROM  1 68 1  TO  1 795. 

I.  BEDFORD.— Two  years  before  the  present 
boundary  between  the  Colonies  of  New  York  and 
Connecticut  was  agreed  upon,  twenty-four  men  ob- 
tained a  grant  of  land  three  miles  square  from  the 
Town  of  Stamford,  Conn.,  and  laid  out  the  Village 
of  Bedford. 

They  had  previously  paid  "the  heathen  Indian 
claimants"  ^38,  15s,  for  the  land.  They  followed 
the  direction  of  the  General  Court  of  the  Connecti- 
cut Colony,  which  required  the  setting  apart  of  "  a 
suitable  lot  for  tlie  first  minister  of  the  place,  and  a 
lot  for  the  ministry  forever."  They  located  the 
meeting  house,  10  March  1681,  and  proceeded  to 
erect  a  stru6lure  twenty-two  by  forty  feet,  complet- 
ing it  in  about  nine  years. 

On  2  Dec.  1681,  they  called  Rev.  John  Prudden 
of  Jamaica,  L,.  I.,  to  be  their  pastor,  but  without 
success.'  After  three  years  they  settled  their  first 
minister,  Rev.  Thomas  Denham,  who  remained  five 
years,  receiving  a  stipend  of  ^20,  ' '  provision  pay, ' ' 
"with  a  house  and  a  home  lot." 
(8) 


HUDSON    PRKSBYTERY. 


The  pastors  of  the  Bedford  Church  were  as  fol- 
lows : 

Rev.  Thomas  Denham,  pastor,  1684  to  1689. 

Public  worship  conducted  by  the  civil 

authorities,         -         -         -         - 
Rev.  Joseph  Morgan,  pastor, 

' '     John  Jones,  "      - 

Vacant  for  fifteen  years. 
Rev.  William  Tennent,  Sr.,  pastor, 

"     Henr}'  Baldwin, 

"     Robert  Sturgeon,    • 

''     Samuel  Sackett, 

"     Bliphalet  Ball, 

"     Samuel  Mills, 

"     John  Davenport, 

''     Isaac  Foster, 
Vacant,         _         _         _         - 

Although  no  Presbytery  had  yet  been  organized 
on  the  American  Continent,  this  church  was  dis- 
tinctly designated  as  ' '  Presbyterian  ' '  from  the  be- 
ginning :  and  they  are  frequently  referred  to  in 
Colonial  Documents  and  the  published  official 
correspondence  of  the  day,  as  ' '  rigid  and  avowed 
Presbyterians. ' ' 

' '  The  care  of  public  worship  ' '  during  a  vacancy 
in  the  pastoral  office  was  regarded  as  much  a  duty 
of  the  civil  authorities  as  was  the  gathering  of 
taxes.  The  long  vacancy  of  fifteen  years,  from  1705 
•to  1720,  was  due  to  the  oppressive  policy  of  the 
Colonial  Government  of  New  York,  which,  after 
29  March  1700,  had  undisputed  jurisdiction  over 


1689  ' 

'  1699. 

1699  ' 

'  1700. 

1702  ' 

'  1705. 

1705  ' 

'  1720. 

1720  ' 

'  1726. 

1727  ' 

'  1728. 

^n^  ' 

'  1743- 

1743 

'  1753- 

1754 

'  1768. 

1769 

'  1786. 

1786 

'  1791- 

1791 

'  1793- 

1793 

'  1795- 

lO  HISTORY   OF 

the  Towns  of  Rye  and  Bedford.  The  entire  com- 
munity was  taxed  for  the,  support  of  the  Episcopal 
Missionar>^  at  Rye,  twenty  miles  distant.  The 
constable  was  required  to  collect  the  assessment 
twice  a  year,  with  occasional  extra  collections,  "  to 
complete  the  church  and  repair  the  rector's  house." 

The  people  of  Bedford  found  it  impossible  to 
bear  the  expense  of  supporting  also  a  ministry  of 
their  own.  "^ 

2.  GOSHEN.— It  is  a  long  interval  from  1681 
to  1720,  the  date  of  organization  of  the  church  of 
Goshen.  But  the  march  of  events  during  that  forty 
years  was  like  the  tread  of  the  host  of  Israel  in  the 
desert, — an  irresistible  sweep  of  God's  purpose  to 
drive  out  the  heathen  and  plant  the  vine  of  his 
church,  prepare  room  for  it,  cause  it  to  take  deep 
root,  till  it  should  fill  the  land,  covering  the  hills 
with  its  shadow  and  sending  out  its  boughs  unto 
the  sea.f 

Persecution  for  conscience  sake,  in  the  Old  world, 
became  the  chief  cause  of  a  constantly  increasing 
emigration  to  the  New.  Those  settling  in  the 
"  Highlands,"  as  this  region  was  then  called,  were 
Scotch  and  Irish  and  Dutch,  with  some  Huguenot 
refugees  after  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes, 
A.  D.  1685.  They  were  firm  in  their  religious 
convi6lions  and  strong  in  their  impulses  toward 
civil  liberty  and  ' '  freedom  to  worship  God. ' ' 


*  Baird's  History  of  the  Bedford  Church.  Dodd,  Mead  &  Co.   1882. 
t  Psalm  Ixxx. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  II 

The  Puritans  in  New  England,  the  Roman 
Catholics  in  Matyland,  the  Quakers  in  Pennsylva- 
nia and  the  Episcopalians  in  Georgia,  Carolina  and 
New  York,  had  each  found  a  denominational  home 
and  secured  the  favor  of  the  civil  power.  But 
"  Presbyterians  were  never  fostered  by  the  state;"* 
and  least  of  all  in  the  province  of  New  York.  Re- 
ligious liberty  was  secured  by  the  original  proprie- 
tors of  Delaware,  Maryland,  Pennsylvania  and  New 
Jersey,  and  there,  congregations  were  first  organized 
into  churches,  and  churches  and  ministers  into  a 
Presbytery  in  1705  (or  6).  But  in  the  province  of 
New  York,  whose  entire  population  in  1700  was 
less  than  20,000,  the  repressive  influences  of  pov- 
erty, widely  separated  settlements  with  limited 
means  of  intercourse,  and  especially  the  oppressive 
policy  of  the  Colonial  Government,  hindered  and 
delayed  the  crystallization  of  Presbyterian  elements 
into  organized  form.  "  Not  one-tenth  of  the  pop- 
ulation of  the  entire  province  of  New  York  adhered 
to  the  Episcopal  Church  ;"t  nine-tenths  were  Dis- 
senters, and  were  almost  wholly  made  up  of  the 
Dutch  and  German  Reformed,  and  Scotch  and 
Scotch-Irish  Presbyterians. 

While  their  sinewy  arms  subdued  the  wilderness, 
and  their  vigilance  guarded  their  settlements,  ' '  the 
dread  of  lapsing  into  barbarism  ' '  re-enforced  their 
religious  impulses.  Few  log-cabins  were  without 
a  family  altar  ;  the  Bible  and  the  Catechism  were 


*  H.  B.  Smith,  D.D.,  History  of  the  Church  in  America. 
t  Bancroft's  History  U.  S.     Vol  3,  p.  58. 


12  HISTORY   OF 

taught  in  their  log  school  houses,  and  they  hope- 
fully looked  forward  to  the  time  when  they  could 
' '  praise  God  in  his  Sanctuary, ' '  even  though  that 
too  should,  in  some  instances,  be  constructed  of 
logs. 

Under  ' '  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ 
Jesus, ' '  in  the  midst  of  these  years,  and  under  these 
apparently  untoward  circumstances,  churches  of 
the  Presbyterian  order  sprang  up  in  this  region 
and  continue  to  this  day.  It  is  asserted  that  as 
early  as  17 15,  a  congregation  of  no  mean  propor- 
tions assembled  for  worship  at  Goshen,  and  if  no 
preacher  was  to  be  had,  those  staunch  Scotch-Irish 
immigrants  were  at  no  loss  to  know  how  to  ' '  carry 
on  the  Lord's  day."  There  is  no  uncertainty  how- 
ever about  the  organization  of  the  Goshen  Church 
in  the  year  1720.  It  was  presented  by  the  propri- 
etors of  the  town  with  land  amounting  to  one 
hundred  and  forty  acres.  *  Its  first  house  of  worship 
was  begun  in  1724,  and  with  repairs  and  improve- 
ments from  time  to  time,  continued  to  accommodate 
the  congregation  for  eighty-nine  years.  After 
occasional  preaching  by  a  Rev.  Mr.  Treat,  their 
first  pastor  Rev.  John  Bradner  was  called,  and  in 
1 72 1  was  duly  installed. 

The  pastors  of  the  Goshen  Church  were  as  fol- 
lows : 
Rev.  John  Bradner,  pastor,  1721,  died  1732. 

"     John  Tudor,  stated  supply,     1732     to     1737. 


Isaac  VaiiDoren.     M.  S.  History,  1807. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  1 3 

Rev.  Silas  I^eonard,  pastor,  -^  ^12)1^  ^^^^  ^75^- 

"     Abner  Brush,  "  1758     to     1766. 

"     Nathan  Ker,  "  1766,  died  1804.  ' 

At  the  beginning  of  ]\Ir.  Ker's  ministry  in   1766 

this  congregation  consisted  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 

families  and  sixty  communicants.  * 

3.  WALIvKILL.  4.  BETHLEHEM.— The 
simultaneous  appearance  of  two  other  churches 
within  this  decade,  justifies  the  statement  that  the 
ever-living  Head  kept  these  scattered  members  of 
his  body  alive  ' '  by  his  Spirit  dwelling  in  them  ' ' 
during  this  famine  of  the  Ministry  of  the  word. 

The  names  of  Wallkill  and  Bethlehem  are  coup- 
led from  their  earliest  historv".  Those  people  of 
' '  Wallakill ' '  whose  petition  to  the  Synod  of  Phila- 
delphia 20  Sept.  1729,  "for  supplies  of  preaching 
among  them,"  resulting  in  their  recommendation 
to  the  Presbyter}'  of  Philadelphia,  cannot  be 
thought  of  as  irreligious.  They  were  simply  des- 
titute of  the  outward  and  ordinary  means  of  grace. 
About  forty  families  from  the  North  of  Ireland,  J 
all  of  whom  had  come  into  the  neighborhood  with- 
in eight  years,  sent  a  messenger  to  distant  Phila- 
delphia, with  this  INIacedonian  cry  for  a  preacher  ! 
Doubtless  some  rude  house  of  worship,  which 
yielded  to  a  better  one  in  1735,  was  the  first  work 
of  their  hands.  During  that  six  years  they  were 
supplied  by  such  ministers  as  could  be  obtained. 


*  VanDoren. 

X  Rev.  J.  M.  Dickson's  History  of  the  Goodwill  Church,     p.  20. 
Riittenb-r.      iSSo. 


14  HISTORY   OF 

The  same  statements  serve  to  describe  the  pro- 
cess by  which  the  Presbyterian  element  a  few  miles 
east  was  at  the  same  time  cr>'Stallizing  into  the 
Church  of  Bethlehem.  And  while  there  is  a  nebu- 
lous indistindlness  about  the  day  and  month  and 
even  the  year  of  organization,  these  churches  appear 
in  conjunction  in  a  call  upon  the  Rev.  Isaac  Chalker 

in  1735- 

Owing  to  "groundless"  jealousies  conceived 
against  Mr.  Chalker  after  the  call  was  made  out, 
"it  is  certain  he  never  became  pastor  "  at  "  Walla- 
kill,  "f  ^l^e  inference  is  just  as  legitimate  from 
the  record  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Synod  of  Phil- 
adelphia, 23  Sept.  1735,1  that  he  did  become  pastor 
at  Bethlehem. 

The  pastors  of  the  Wallkill  Church  were  as  fol- 
lows : 
Rev.  Isaac  Chalker,  pastor  ele6l,         1735  to  1740 

"     Joseph  Houston,    "      1740,  died  29  Oct.  1740 
Vacant,  with  various  supplies,  1740  to  1751 

Rev.  John  Moffat,  pastor,  1751  to  1767, 

"     John  Blair,  "         1769,  died  8  Dec.  177 1 

Vacant,  -  -  -  1 771  to  1776 

Rev.  Andrew  King,  pastor,  1776,  died  16  Dec.  1815 

During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  John  Moffat,  a  new 
Meeting  House  was  completed,  a  glebe  of  one 
hundred  acres,  adjoining,  was  purchased,  and  a 
small  parsonage  built. 


t  Ibid.     p.  19. 

X  History  Presbyterian  Cliurcli.     p.  iiS.     P.  B.  P. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 5 

Notwithstanding  this  improvement  in  material 
things,  the  latter  part  of  Mr.  Moffat's  ministry  was 
much  disturbed  and  possibly  terminated,  by  the 
secession  of  a  portion  of  the  congregation  to  form 
the  Associate  church  of  Neelytown,  under  the  Rev. 
Robert  Annan  ;  and  the  exadl  date  of  his  resign- 
ation is  not  known. 

The  Rev.  John  Blair,  ordained  20  Dec.  1742,  a 
pastor  for  sixteen  years  in  Pennsylvania,  then  Vice 
President  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey  and  Pro- 
fessor of  Theology  in  Nassau  Hall,  finished  his 
brilliant  career  in  the  pastoral  office  at  Wallkill. 
He  died  8  Dec.  1771,  and  was  buried  in  the  rear 
of  the  church  beside  the  first  pastor.  Rev.  Joseph 
Houston.  His  judicious  management  and  amiable 
character  did  much  toward  healing  the  breach  and 
allaying  the  spirit  of  discord  and  division  which 
had  prevailed. 

After  a  vacancy  of  five  years,  and  amid  the  civil 
tumult  of  the  period,  Mr.  Andrew  King  became 
pastor.  He  was  called  9  Oct.  1776,  and  on  11 
June  1777,  the  Presb3^tery  of  New  York  met  at 
Wallkill  and  proceeded  to  ordain  and  install  him 
in  the  pastoral  office.  This  relation  continued  un- 
broken for  a  period  of  forty  years,  and  closed  with 
his  death  16  Nov.  181 5. 

The  pastors  of  the  Bethlehem  Church  were  as 
follows  : 

Rev.  Isaac  Chalker,  pastor,  -         1735  to  1743. 

Vacant,  seven  years,        _         .         _     1743    "  1750. 
Rev.  Enos  Ayres,  pastor,  -    1750,  died  1762. 


1 6  HISTORY   OF 

Vacant,  five  years,  _         _         _     1762  to  1767 

Rev.  Francis  Peppard,  pastor,  -  ^1^1  "1771 
Vacant,  two  years,  -  -  -  i77i"i773 
Rev.  John  Close,  stated  supply,  1773   "  1785 

Vacant,  thirteen  years,  -         -     1785    "  1798 

The  fact  that  the  Bethlehem  church  had  a  meet- 
ing house  in  1730*  is  strong  evidence  of  the  truth 
of  the  statement  that  it  was  contemporaneous  with 
Wallkill  in  origin. 

Like  that  people,  they  were  obliged  to  be  content 
with  "  such  supplies  as  could  be  obtained"  until 
their  joint  call  upon  Mr.  Chalker.  The  loss  of  the 
Records  of  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  East  Jersey ' '  make  it 
impossible  to  state  that  Mr.  Chalker  was  installed. 
As  however  that  Presbytery  ordained  him  in  1734, 
and  he  continued  his  labors  at  Bethlehem  for  eight 
years,  the  presumption  is  that  he  was  regularly 
installed.  He  removed  to  Connecticut  in  1743, 
settled  at  Bastbury,  and  died  28  May  1765. 

His  successor,  Bnos  Ayres — first  on  the  roll  of 
the  first  class  that  graduated  at  the  College  of  New 
Jersey,  in  1748, — was  ordained  soon  after  gradua- 
tion and  supplied  the  pulpit  of  the  Wallkill  Church 
during  the  winter  of  1749-50.  The  date  of  his  in- 
stallation is  uncertain.    His  death  occurred  in  1762. 

The  same  obscurity  veils  the  beginning  of  tlie 
ministry  of  Rev.  Francis  Peppard.  He  was  a  faith- 
ful and  successful  pastor,  closing  his  labors  in  this 
field  in  1771. 


Gillett.     Vol.  I,  p.  153. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  1 7 

After  an  interval  of  two  years,  Rev.  John  Close 
began  to  supply  Bethlehem  one  half  his  time, 
but  was  never  installed.  There  were  twelve  addi- 
tions to  the  membership  during  the  twelve  years 
that  he  supplied  them.  He  also  acted  as  Chaplain 
to  the  Continental  troops  stationed  near  Newburgh. 
He  relinquished  the  charge  of  the  Bethlehem 
Church  in  1785,  and  the  pulpit  remained  vacant 
until  1798.  Such  ministrations  as  they  received, 
however,  were  greatly  blessed,  and  more  than 
twenty  souls  were  added  during  this  vacancy  of 
thirteen  years. 

5.  NEW  WINDSOR.— In  May  1766,  Rev. 
Timothy  Jones,  D.D.,  of  the  Presbytery  of  New 
York,  organized  the  church  of  New  Windsor.  In 
1767,  Rev.  Francis  Peppard  began  to  minister  to 
them  in  connection  with  Bethlehem.  .  In  1773, 
Rev.  John  Close  began  to  supply  them  one  half  his 
time,  and  continued  to  do  so  until  Nov.  1796. 

6.  NEWBURGH. — A  congregation  was  incor- 
porated at  Newburgh  in  1784.  In  1785  Rev.  John 
Close,  leaving  Bethlehem,  devoted  half  his  time  to 
this  new  enterprise  in  connection  with  New  Wind- 
sor. His  labors  ceased  in  1796,  and  on  19  April 
1797,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  Presbytery  of  Albany. 
He  died  in  181 3. 

7.  FRANKLIN.— This  church,  in  which  the 
Presbytery  of  Hudson  met  for  the  first  time,  17 
Nov.  1795,  should,  for  this  reason,  if  no  other,  be 
rescued  from  oblivion.      After  the  opening  sermon 

2 


1 8  HISTORY   OF 

and  prayer,  Rev.  Nathan  Ker  was  chosen  Moder- 
ator and  Rev.  Methuselah  Baldwin,  Clerk.  The 
minute  of  Synod  was  read,  by  whose  authority  the 
Presbytery  was  formed,  and  then  the  first  and  only 
business  for  that  day  was  to  entertain  ' '  the  follow- 
ing question  from  the  trustees  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  congregation  of  the  Village  of  Fred- 
ericks-Burgh in  Frederickstown  in  Dutchess  County 
namely  :  '  is  it  the  opinion  of  the  Presb3'tery  that 
the  church  which  was  in  this  place  during  the 
ministry  of  the  Rev.  David  Close,  deceased,  does 
still  exist  ? '  The  Presbyter}-  adjourned,  and  the 
next  day,  after  some  preliminary  business,  the 
answer  was  returned  that  '  the  said  church  does 
still  exist.'  " 

Now  this  church  and  congregation  of  Fredericks- 
Burgh  seems  to  have  been  the  ver}^  one  in  whose 
meeting  house  the  Presbyter}^  was  convened  ;  and 
which  was  properly  called  Franklin.  This  appears 
from  the  following  official  record  : 

LAWS  OF  NEW  YORK  ;    XVIII  SEvSSION ;    CHAPTER  21. 
An  act  to  di\dde  Frederickstown   and   Sontli   East  Town   in 
Dutchess  County  into  four  towns. 

One  of  these  four  towns  was  named  Franklin  in 
honor  of  Dr.  Franklin  ;  and  it  included  the  Village 
of  Fredericksburgh  where  this  church  was  located. 
This  act  of  the  legislature  is  dated  17  March  1795, 
the  same  year  in  which  the  Presbytery  was  formed, 
eight  months  later. 

On  the  6  April  1808,  the  name  of  this  town  was, 
by  the  same   authority,    again   changed   to   PAT- 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 9 

TBRSON,  so  that  the  present  church  of  Patterson 
appears  to  be  identical  with  the  church  of  Franklin, 
"the  second  church  in  Philipse  Patent." 

"The  first  Presbyterian  meeting  house  in  the 
Town  of  Patterson,  was  constructed  of  logs  some- 
where about  1730."*  This  makes  that  church 
almost  cotemporaneous  in  its  origin  with  Wallkill 
and  Bethlehem.  Among  its  earliest  ministers  are 
Rev.  Messrs.  Joseph  Peck  and  David  Close,  the 
latter  of  whom  was  ordained  by  the  ' '  Dutchess 
County  Presbytery"  in  1773,  and  died  in  1783. 
Rev.  Samuel  Mills,  pastor  of  Bedford,  which  lay 
in  ashes, t  supplied  them  from  1783  to  1789, 
although  his  pastoral  relation  to  Bedford  Church 
was  not  dissolved  until  1786. 

8.  UNION. — "A  church  was  built  and  an 
organized  congregation  gathered  in  the  plain  log 
building — before  the  coming  of  the  first  pastor, 
Rev.  Blisha  Kent;"  who  was  installed  in  1743 
and  died  in  that  ofiice,  17  July  1776. 

On  II  October  1769,  Rev.  Ichabod  Lewis  be- 
came colleague,  and  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Kent, 
was  duly  installed  in  the  pastoral  ofiice,  continuing 
sole  pastor  until  1790. 

In  February  1792,  Rev  Jehu  Minor,  who  had 
for  a  short  time  assisted  Mr.  Lewis,  became  sole 
pastor  on  his  voluntary  retirement,  and  was  in- 
stalled in  February  1792,  by  the  "Dutchess  Presby- 
ter>\ ' '     ]\Ir.  Minor  continued  there  until  his  death, 


^  Smith's  History  of  Dutchess  Co.     Appendix  A. 
t  Baird's  History  of  Bedford  Church. 


20  HISTORY   OF 

5  July  1808,  having  been  forty  years  in  the  min- 
istry and  eighteen  years  pastor  of  tlie  ' '  Union  ' ' 
church,  "  the  first  church  of  Philipse  Patent,"  (the 
present  church  of  South  East.) J 

In  April  1797,  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson  "ad- 
journed to  meet  at  Mr.  Minor's,  in  South  East 
Town,  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  September, ' '  and  on 
"5  Sept.  1797,  the  Presbyter}^  met  at  "Union" 
according  to  adjournment." 

9.  PITTSBURGH.  10.  PLEASANT  VAIv- 
LEY. — These  two  churches  evidently  stand  in  the 
relation  of  parent  and  child  to  each  other,  of  which 
Pittsburgh  is  the  parent.  As  in  many  other  in- 
stances, their  origin  is  found  in  the  eredlion  of  a 
house  of  worship,  rather  than  in  a  distindl  ecclesi- 
astical organization. 

The  first  building  was  eredled  in  1747,  at  Wash- 
ington Hollow,  Dutchess  County.  Here  for  a 
period  of  sixteen  years  the  gospel  was  preached 
from  time  to  time  by  various  ministers  among 
whom  survive  the  names  of  licentiate  Deliverance 
Smith  and  a  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson. 

In  1763,  a  board  of  trustees  was  elected,  "assist- 
ant to  the  old  one,"  and  its  members  were  consti- 
tuted ' '  a  committee  to  invite  candidates — and 
should  one  be  called,  to  represent  the  affair  to  Pres- 
bytery— and,  until  there  be  a  regular  church,  to 
advise  the  supplies,"  etc. 

Application  to  the  "Presbyter}'  of  Dutchess," 
2  May   1764,  was  made  in  connection  with  Pough- 

i  Rev.  A.  R.  Macoubrv.     Historical  Sermon.     1877. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  21 

keepsie,  "for  a  candidate  to  preach  ontryal,"  and 
for  supplies  until  such  a  candidate  could  be  ob- 
tained. Organization  was  probably  effected  the 
next  year,  as  Mr.  Wheeler  Case  was  called,  ordain- 
ed and  installed  12  Nov.  1765,  "pastor  of  Pou'- 
keepsie  and  Charlotte  ; ' '  Pittsburgh  being  the  only 
church  in  Charlotte  Precindl. 

Four  years  later  in  1769,  the  house  of  worship 
was  rebuilt  and  there  were  ' '  thirty-five  male  mem- 
bers of  the  congregation. ' ' 

In  1770  a  house  of  worship  having  been  erected 
and  inclosed  at  the  growing  village  of  Pleasant 
Valley,  five  miles  west,  on  the  road  to  Pou' keepsie, 
Mr.  Case  obtained  a  release  from  his  relation  to 
the  Pou' keepsie  congregation  and  held  services  in 
the  new  meeting  house.  Although  it  was  neither 
plastered  nor  furnished  with  pews  for  sixteen  years, 
it  was  nevertheless  destined  to  outgrow  the  Pitts- 
burgh congregation  at  Washington  Hollow. 

On  26  January  1785,  the  new  church  began  its 
corporate  existence,  and  Mr.  Case  continued  pastor 
of  the  double  charge,  Pittsburgh  and  Pleasant 
Valley,  during  the  rest  of  his  life,  which  terminated 
31  August  1 791.  This  long  pastorate  of  twenty- 
six  years,  through  troublous  times,  in  which  he 
was  ' '  robbed  of  nearly  all  he  possessed  by  British 
soldiers,"  was  fruitful  in  the  results  of  a  faithful 
ministry.  He  was  cheered  towards  the  close  of  his  la- 
bors by  an  extensive  revival  of  religion  and  a  general 
awakening,  especially  among  the  young  people,  f 

t  Mr.  VaiiDoren. 


22  HISTORY   OF 

From  1 791  to  1793,  the  pulpit  was  supplied  by 
Presbytery  as  often  as  practicable.  On  6  Nov. 
1793,  Rev.  Methuselah  Baldwin  was  duly  installed, 
and  continued  pastor  until  4  Sept.  1798."^" 

II.  FLORIDA.  12.  WARWICK.— These 
churches  are  associated  from  their  earliest  reliable 
history.  An  extant  M.S.  histor}^  of  the  "Presby- 
tery of  Hudson"  by  Rev.  Isaac  Van  Doren,  1807, 
states  that  "  this  church  was  organized  about  1750, 
and  had  for  their  first  settled  minister  Rev.  Jona- 
than Elmer,  who  preached  about  four  years  in  this 
place  and  at  Warwick.  After  this  time  he  con- 
fined his  labors  to  Florida  alone  for  about  three 
years. "  "  After  a  vacancy  of  five  years  in  Florida 
— and  of  eight  years  in  Warwick — in  1762,  Rev. 
Samuel  Parkhurst  became  the  pastor  of  the  two 
churches.  Mr.  Parkhurst  died  2  Mar.  1768.  In 
1770  "two  acres  of  ground  were  given  for  the  use 
and  benefit  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  War- 
wick." "  On  9  April  1772,  Mr.  Amzi  Lewis  was 
ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  the  churches  of 
Florida  and  Warwick. ' '  He  served  both  churches 
for  five  years,  when  the  ' '  Presbytery^  of  New 
York,"  by  a  commission,  released  him  from  his 
pastorate  at  Warwick.  He  remained  ten  years 
longer  at  Florida,  during  which  time  Warwick  was 
partly  supplied  by  Presbyter}\  Mr.  Lewis  was  one 
of  four  ministers  who  formed  the  ' '  Associated 
Presbytery  of  Morris   County"    on   i    May    1780. 


^  Rev.  A.  B.  Prichard.     Historical  Discourse.     1882. 


HUDSON   PRKSBYTKRY.  23 

There  is  no  evidence  however  that  Florida,  or  any 
other  church  west  of  the  Hudson,  ever  withdrew 
from  the  care  of  the  "Presbytery  of  New  York." 
Mr.  Lewis  alone,  belonging  to  the  "Presbytery  of 
Morris  County,"  will  account  for  the  informality 
in  his  departure  from  Florida.  Mr.  VanDoren 
makes  no  allusion  to  any  action  of  Presbytery,  but 
simply  states. that  he  withdrew  with  the  assent  of 
the  congregation,  and  removed  to  North  Salem. 
During  his  pastorate  there  were  two  revivals  of 
considerable  extent  :  and  during  the  following  long 
vacancy  of  seven  years  the  place  was  again  visited 
with  an  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  so  that  forty  were 
added  to  the  membership  in  the  first  year  of  the 
ministry  of  the  Rev.  John  Joline,  which  began  10 
May  1795,  although  he  was  not  installed  until  13 
June  1797.* 

13.  SALBM. — This  church  was  organized  in 
1752,  with  28  members.  The  Rev.  Solomon  Mead 
was  ordained  and  installed  19  May  in  that  year, 
and  continued  their  pastor  until  4  Sept.  1800,  a 
period  of  forty-eight  years.  He  died  in  181 2,  at 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six  years. 

Mr.  Mead  withdrew  from  the  "Association  of 
Fairfield,"  Conn.,  and  with  Rev.  Messrs.  Elisha 
Kent  and  Joseph  Peck,  organized  the  "Presbytery 
of  Dutchess  County,"  27  Oct.  1762,  the  first  eccle- 
siastical body  constituted  in  that  region.  The 
next  year,   on  29  May,  they  were  recognized  and 


Mill.  Presb.     Vol.  i,  p.  28. 


24  HISTORY   OF 

received  in  a  Presbyterial  capacity  by  the  "  Synod 
of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,"  with  Rev.  Messrs. 
Samuel  Sackett,  Eliphalet  Ball,  Chauncey  Graham 
and  John  Smith  additional  members.  This  Pres- 
bytery had  a  brief  and  troubled  history.  It  em- 
braced all  the  churches  east  of  the  Hudson  and 
north  of  New  York  City,  including  also  Cherry 
Valley  and  Albany  on  the  west,  sixteen  in  number. 
Many  of  these  were  greatly  enfeebled  during  the 
war  of  the  Revolution  ;  in  1790,  the  "Presbytery  of 
Albany"  was  formed  on  the  North,  and  in  1792, 
the  ' '  Associated  Presbytery  of  Westchester  ' '  drew 
off  about  half  the  remaining  congregations.  It  was 
the  means  however  of  strengthening  Presbyterian- 
ism  in  that  region  ;  and  the  thirty-three  years  of 
its  existence  included  much  that  is  interesting  and 
important  in  our  church  history.  It  is  certainly  a 
matter  for  deep  regret  that  the  Records  of  "  Dutch- 
ess Presbytery"  have  not  been  found.  The  last 
trace  of  them  yet  discovered  was  in  Newburgh,  N. 
Y.,  27  Dec.  1844.  The  purpose  of  this  work  how- 
ever includes  no  further  reference  to  its  roll  of 
churches  or  ministers,  than  to  note  those  which 
were  merged  into  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Hudson. ' ' 

14.  Rumbout  or  FISHKILL.— This  church 
like  many  others,  originated  in  an  effort  to  build 
a. meeting-house.  The  building  was  so  far  com- 
pleted as  to  be  ready  for  dedication  in  1748,  when 
the  church  was  duly  organized  on  3  July.  On  29 
Jan.  1749,  Rev.  Chauncey  Graham  was  ordained 
and  installed  by  a  "Council."     According  to  Mr. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  25 

VanDoren,  he  was  released  in  Sept.  1768.  Dr. 
Gillett  affirms  that  he  was  released  in  1773,  and 
that  he  died  in  1784.* 

After  Mr.  Graham's  release,  the  pulpit  was 
vacant  until  1784,  after  which  time  a  neighboring 
minister  of  the  R.  D.  Church — Rev.  Mr.  Blauvelt 
— supplied  them  for  six  years.  Rev.  Daniel  Marsh, 
of  the  ' '  Associated  Presbytery  of  Morris  County, ' ' 
was  supply  from  1791  to  1796. 

On  18  Nov.  1795,  they  requested  to  be  taken 
under  the  care  of  this  Presbytery  and  asked  sup- 
plies, both  which  requests  were  granted,  f 

15.  DEER  PARK.— The  germ  from  which 
this  church  grew,  was  the  gift  of  fifty  acres  of  land 
to  the  "  first  regularly  organized  religious  society 
in  the  town. ' '  This  was  given  by  Oliver  Delaney , 
Esq.,  of  New  York  City,  25  March  1770.  At  that 
time  and  during  that  decade  the  voice  of  the 
preacher  of  the  Gospel  was  seldom  heard  on  the 
Eastern  Slope  of  the  Shawangunk  Mountain.  The 
Rev.  Amzi  Lewis  of  Florida  made  occasional  visits, 
and  after  a  time  gathered  a  congregation.  It  was 
natural  that  they  should  sympathize  in  his  views 
of  church  order.  Mr.  VanDoren  says,  that  he 
organized  a  Congregational  Church  which  in  his 
day  remained  in  connection  with  the  "Associated 
Presbytery  of  Morris  County."  On  the  9  Feb. 
1785,  the  "First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Deer 
Park  ' '  was  incorporated. 


*  Vol.  I,  p.  130. 

t  Mill.  ofPresb.  of  Hudson.     Vol.  i,  p.  6. 


26  HISTORY   OF 

In  1 791,  the  first  house  of  worship  was  erected 
upon  an  additional  plot  of  ground,  five  acres  in 
extent,  given  by  Lewis  A.  Scott,  Esq.,  of  New 
York  City.  In  May  1791,  and  in  May  1792,  Rev. 
Messrs.  Ker,  of  Goshen,  and  King,  of  Wallkill, 
were  appointed  by  the  "  Presbytery  of  New  York," 
to  supply  New  Shawangunk  or  Deer  Park.  Mr. 
VanDoren  says  Mr.  Ker  organized  the  church. 
Licentiates  Baldwin  and  Freeman  were  directed  to 
spend  some  time  there  in  June  and  in  September. 
Mr.  Jonathan  Freeman  was  called  and  installed, 
29  August  1793,  and  remained  pastor  of  Hopewell 
and  Deer  Park  churches  until  April  1797,  when 
his  relation  to  this  church  was-  dissolved. 

16.  HOPEWELL.  —  The  Hopewell  church 
originated  in  a  spontaneous  movement  on  the  part 
of  the  increasing  population,  to  build  for  them- 
selves a  house  of  worship.  It  was  in  the  year 
1779.  The  pastor  of  the  Wallkill  church  had 
maintained  an  outstation  in  that  neighborhood  for 
a  number  of  years.  But  thirteen  years  more 
elapsed  before  their  modest  structure  was  plastered 
and  furnished  with  pews.  Then  in  1792,  a  board 
of  trustees  was  chosen,  and  on  28  August  1793, 
Mr.  Jonathan  Freeman  was  ordained  and  installed 
pastor  :  although  it  was  not  until  the  following 
November  that  the  Hopewell  church  was  regularly 
organized,  with  twenty  members.  Twenty  more 
were  received  at  their  first  communion.  Mr.  Free- 
man's pastoral  relation  was  dissolved  18  April  1798. 


CHAPTER  III. 

HISTORY  OF  PRESBYTERY  ESSENTIALLY  THE  HIS- 
TORY OF  THE  CHURCHES. — VARIED  ORIGIN  OF 
THE  CHURCHES. — CAUSES  OF  DISTURBANCE  IN 
CHURCH    LIFE. 

Having  traced,  as  accurately  as  possible  and  as 
fully  as  seems  consistent  with  the  object  in  view, 
the  antecedent  history  of  each  church  on  the  roll 
of  this  Presbytery  at  the  time  of  its  organization, 
it  will  be  proper  to  state  that  throughout  these 
pages  THE  CHURCHES  will  be  regarded  as  of 
primary  importance,  the  ministry  being  second, 
and  the  Presbyterial  connection  of  both  minister 
and  church,  third  in  point  of  interest.  ' '  The 
facts  in  the  history  of  Presbytery, ' '  required  by  the 
resolution  of  the  Assembly  can  scarcely  be  collated 
under  the  most  carefully  prepared  Biographies  of 
Ministers,  and  to  trace  the  tangled  threads  of  their 
Presbyterial  relationships  would  be  perplexing  in 
the  extreme.  Even  the  territorial  bounds  of  the 
Presbytery  are  subject  to  change.  But  the  indi- 
vidual church  is  a  candle-stick  fixed  by  the  Master  ; 
or  rather  a  beacon,  of  which  the  eldership  is  the 
framework,  the  minister  is  the  light  and  the  Pres- 
bytery the  keeper.  The  light  may  be  dim  or  bril- 
liant ;  it  may  cease  to  throw  its  rays  into  the  moral 
darkness  around  it  :  but  it  is  seldom  the  Master  re- 
moves the  candle-stick  out  of  its  place,  or  permits 

(27) 


a8  HISTORY   OF 

the  framework  of  his  beacons   ' '  on  the  shores  of 
time,"  to  fall  to  decay. 

Much  might  be  written  respecting  the  wilderness 
in  which  one  by  one  these  candle-sticks  were  set. 
To  our  eyes  it  is  like  a  beautiful  park.  It  was 
different  in  those  days. 

The  variety  of  ways  in  which  the  religious  senti- 
ment in  each  settlement  grew  into  an  organized 
body,  is  too  striking  to  be  passed  by.  In  one 
case  (Deer  Park),  a  ' '  glebe  ' '  was  donated  fifteen 
years  before  there  existed  a  body  with  legal  power 
to  receive  it.  In  many  instances  a  meeting  house 
was  erected,  in  readiness  whenever  a  man  of  God 
should  appear  to  break  the  bread  of  life.  And 
after  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  in  several  in- 
stances a  certificate  of  incorporation  provided  a 
board  of  trustees  to  receive  bequests  and  hold  real 
estate,  before  elder  or  deacon  or  minister  appeared 
upon  the  scene. 

The  history  of  this  Antecedent  Period  would  be 
especially  defective  were  theiie  no  reference  to 
those  phenomena  which,  analagous  to  a  tidal  wave, 
from  time  to  time  swept  over  and  influenced,  to  a 
greater  or  less  extent,  the  life  of  the  church. 

The  first  of  these,  accompanying  the  great  awak- 
ening which  followed  the  track  of  Whitfield,  re- 
sulted in  the  formation  in  1740  of  the  sect  called 
at  first  "New  I^ights "  and  afterward  in  1750 
"Separates."  This  wave  of  religious  enthusiasm 
lifted  some  from  their  anchorage  and  set  them  adrift. 
The  harmony  of  some  of  the  churches  was  broken 


HUDSON   PRKSBYTERY.  Zg 

and  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Silas  Leonard, 
an  unhappy  division  occurred  in  Goshen  church 
by  their  means.  *  The  Bedford  church  was  much 
weakened  by  a  division  from  the  same  cause,  and 
it  resulted  in  the  release  of  Rev.  Samuel  Sackett 
from  his  pastoral  relation  at  the  request  of  the 
congregation,  on  4  April  i753.t 

This  element  of  disturbance  lasted  a  score  of 
years,  and  then  disappeared.  Beginning  in  an 
erroneous  view  of  the  Holy  vSpirit's  work,  it 
drifted  into  errors  in  practice,  and  after  the  healing 
of  the  division  between  the  Synods  soon  ceased  to 
be  felt. 

The  second  disturbance  was,  when  the  ground- 
swell  of  ecclesiastical  division  in  Scotland  began  to 
be  felt  on  this  side  the  Atlantic,  and  the  ' '  Praying 
Societies  "  of  the  Covenanters  drew  many  from 
the  membership  of  our  growing  churches.  The 
Wallkill  church  more  than  any  other  in  this  region, 
was  rent  by  this  influence,  about  the  year  1765 
or  '67. 

Then  followed  the  French  War  and  the  War  of. 
the  Revolution,  when  Christian  patriots  felt  that 
prayers  for  religious  liberty  were  to  be  addressed 
no  longer  to  Parliament,  but  only  God  ward  ;  and 
that  answers  to  those  prayers  must  be  looked  for 
in  the  issue  of  a  protracted  and  desperate  fight  for 
civil  liberty.  In  this  struggle  Presbyterians  were 
patriots  to  a  man.      The  territory  we  occupy  be- 


*  Van  Doren. 

t  Baird's  History,  p.  59. 


30  HISTORY   OF 

came  historic  ground,  and  while  the  armies  surged 
back  and  forth  across  it,  the  churches  suflfered,  in 
some  instances  loss  of  property, — the  meeting 
house  and  nearly  every  dwelling  in  Bedford  being 
burned  2  July  1779,  by  Tarleton's  troops, — and  in 
every  instance  a  diminution  in  membership  ; 
although  faith  in  God  and  private  devotion  doubt- 
less were  both  strong  and  earnest. 

After  this,  English  Deism  intrenched  itself 
in  the  very  heart  of  this  region.  The  "  Druid 
Society ' '  was  organized  at  Newburgh  and  met 
weekly,  for  the  purpose  of  throwing  ridicule  and 
discredit  upon  the  idea  of  the  Bible  being  a  reve- 
lation from  God,  and  for  circulating  "  Paine' s  Age 
of  Reason."  French  infidelity,  which  came  to  us 
with  their  warm  political  sympathy,  aided  in  sup- 
port of  a  periodical  for  the  advancement  of  the 
views  of  Voltaire  and  Rousseau.  The  triumph  of 
this  adversary,  however,  was  short.  With  the 
settled  condition  of  the  countr}^  at  large,  came  in- 
dications that  Zion  was  about  to  arise  and  "  shake 
herself  from  the  dust."  The  centur}'  closed  and 
the  new  one  opened  amid  one  of  the  most  extended 
series  of  revivals  of  religion  ever  witnessed  in  this 
countr}'. 

In  the  midst  of  the  seven  years'  struggle  for 
Independence,  trouble  arose  from  another  cause. 
Restiveness  under  authority  ;  jealousy  of  eccle- 
siastical control  ;  a  dread  of  Presbytery  as  though 
it  were  both  priest  and  pope  "  writ  large  ;  "  inability 
to  grasp  the  idea  that   "  tell  it  unto  the  church  "| 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  3 1 

<:ould  mean  anything  beyond  a  single  congregation 
and  so  ' '  courts  of  appeal ' '  must  be  unscriptural  ; 
a  forgetfulness  of  Isaiah' s§  maxim,  "he  that 
believeth  shall  not  make  haste;" — these, — com- 
bined with  such  eagerness  to  extend  the  cause  of 
Christ  as  would  hurry  men  into  the  ministry  with 
ver}^  meagre  qualifications,  led  to  the  formation  of 
the  "Associated  Presbyteries."  The  Rev.  Amzi 
lycwis  of  Florida  was  one  of  four  ministers  to  form 
the  first  of  these  in  1780.  It  was  called  the 
"  Associated  Presbytery  of  Morris  County.  " 
While  this  secession  did  not  disturb  the  churches 
west  of  the  Hudson,  the  formation  of  the  "  Associ- 
ated Presbyter}'  of  Westchester, ' '  twelve  years  later 
in  1792,  rent  no  fewer  than  thirteen  churches  from 
the  ' '  Dutchess  Presbyter}', ' '  and  largely  accounts 
for  its  weakness  at  the  time  this  Presbytery  was 
formed. 

This  phenomenon  spent  itself  in  forty  years,  and 
the  anomaly  of  a  Presbygational  form  of  govern- 
ment ceased  to  exist  about  1820. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  civil 
disabilities  under  which  all  non-episcopal  religious 
bodies  labored  during  Colonial  times,  and  which 
undoubtedly  had  a  repressive  influence  upon  our 
churclies.  Among  others,  Goshen  church  persist- 
ently and  vainly  tried  to  secure  incorporation. 
All  these  were  remoyed  when  INDEPENDENCE 
of  both  Parliament  and  Prelacy  was  achieved. 

t  Matt,  xviii :  17. 
^  Matt,  xxviii :    t6. 


32  HISTORY   OF 

This  chapter  in  American  Presbyterian  Church 
History  shows  some  of  the  chief  sources,  internal 
and  external,  of  disturbance  in  church  life.  With- 
in, there  may  be  a  too  rigid  ecclesiasticism  on  the 
one  hand,  and  a  restive  independency  on  the 
other  ;  and  still  more  potent  is  the  indulgence  of 
that  disposition  which  says  ' '  I  am  holier  than 
thou  ;"  while  the  external  foes  to  the  peace  of 
the  church  appear  as  organized  infidelity,  and 
diversion  of  attention  from  religion  by  civil  and 
political  agitation. 


Isaiah  Ixv :  5. 


11.  PERIOD  IMMEDlftlELY  FOLLOWING  ORGIlNIZflTlON. 
1795— 1820. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

BOUNDARIES  OF  THE  PRESBYTERY. — FEATURES  OF 
THE  TIME. — SKETCHES  OF  THE  CHURCHES  CON- 
TINUED. 

With  this  period  began  the  organic  life  of  the 
PRESBYTERY  OF  HUDSON.  It  consisted  of 
eiofht  ministers  and  the  sixteen  churches  whose 
outlines  have  thus  been  drawn.  Its  territorial 
limits  were  the  Shawangunk  Mountain  on  the 
west  and  Connecfticut  on  the  east.  The  New 
Jersey  line  extended  across  to  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  Connecticut,  on  the  south  ;  and  on  the 
north,  about  the  middle  of  Ulster  and  Dutchess 
Counties  :  fifty  miles  east  and  west  and  as  many 
north  and  south. 

There  was  no  Rockland  County,  (1798,)  no  Sul- 
livan County,  (1809,)  and  no  Putnam  County, 
(1812). 

The  north  boundary  of  Orange  County  extended 
from  Cornwall,  straight  west  to  the  Delaware  River. 

A  treaty  had  just  been  concluded  between  the 
U.  S.  Government  and  the  Six  Nations,  so  that 
3  (33) 


34  HISTORY   OF 

dread   of  Indian    raids  no  longer  hovered  like  a 
nightmare  over  the  settlements. 

With  the  increased  sense  of  secnrity,  migration 
from  the  New  England  States  to  and  beyond  the 
Hudson  rapidly  increased.  On  three  days  of  the 
previous  winter,  twelve  hundred  sled-loads  of  fur- 
niture and  families,  and  five  hundred  by  actual 
count  on  the  last  day  of  Feb.  1795,  passed  through 
Albany  en  route  to  the  newly  opened  Great  West 
in  the  Genesee  Valley. 

That  very  }'ear  Union  College  was  founded  at 
Schenectady.  Its  President,  Rev.  John  Blair 
Smith,  Presbyterian,  and  Rev.  Eliphalet  Nott, 
Congregationalist,  originated  the  famous  Plan  of 
Union,  which  was  afterward  proposed  by  the 
' '  Congregational  Association  of  Connecticut, ' '  and 
adopted  by  the  General  Assembly  in  1801. 

Already  the  harbingers  of  an  approaching  re- 
vival of  religious  life  were  discernible,  in  an 
ingathering  of  souls  at  Bedford,  Pleasant  Valley, 
Hopewell  and  Florida.  Thoughtful  men  bestirred 
themselves  to  lay  the  foundations  for  a  more  ex- 
tended and  thorough  cultivation  of  the  field,  and 
on  all  sides  there  was  more  hopefulness. 

How  far  this  hopefulness  was  justifiable,  w411 
appear  as  we  trace  the  Presbytery  through  the  first 
quarter  century  of  its  history.  Content  simply  to 
find  in  church  extention  the  true  index  of  Presby- 
terial  vigor,  let  us  first  continue  the  stor\'  of  our 
original  sixteen  churches  in  alphabetical  order. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  35 

1.  BEDFORD— Which  had  been  vacant  for 
two  years,  called  Rev.  Samuel  Blatchford  from 
England,  who  as  Stated  Supply  spent  six  or  eight 
months  of  1795  and  '96  with  that  church.  He 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Josiah  Henderson,  who  was 
installed  15  Nov.  1798  and  dismissed  15  Nov. 
1803.  Rev.  Ebenezer  Grant  was  installed  20 
Sept.  1804^  dying  in  the  pastoral  office  after 
seventeen  years  of  faithful  service,  6  Sept. 
182 1.  His  remains  were  laid  beside  those  of  the 
first  pastor,  Rev.  Thomas  Denham,  who  thirty-two 
years  before  had  been  buried  there.  During  his 
pastorate  and  largely  through  Presbyterian  influ- 
ence, in  1807,  the  Bedford  Academy  was  founded, 
which  has  made  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  seat 
of  learning.  Established  five  }'ears  before  our 
public  school  system  was  adopted,  it  has  con- 
tributed largely  to  the  intelligence  and  public 
spirit  of  that  region,  and  many  distinguished 
professional  and  business  men  ' '  have  pursued  their 
studies  within  its  waifs. ' '  '^'' 

2.  BETHLEHEM— Had  been  vacant  ten  years, 
and  it  was  not  until  April  1798,  that  Rev.  Jonathan 
Freeman  became  pastor-eledl  in  connedlioh  with 
New  Windsor.  This  relationship  continued  until 
Feb.  1 80 1,  when  Presbyter}^  united  New  Windsor 
with  Newburgh,  and  on  May  5,  installed  him  there, 
having  severed  his  conneclion  with  Bethlehem. 

After  about  two  years  Mr.  Joel  T.  Benedidl,  a 
licentiate  of  the  ' '  Presbyter}^  of  Morris  County, ' ' 

*  Baird's  History,  p.  79. 


36  HISTORY   OF 

was  invited  to  act  as  their  supply  and  did  so. 
Whereupon  in  Sept.  1803,  Presbytery  issued  a  cir- 
cular letter  and  ordered  it  entered  upon  the  Session 
Book  of  every  vacant  church,  "enjoining  upon 
such  vacant  churches "  as  "  have  fallen  in  with 
strangers  calling  themselves  preachers  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  in  a  very  hasty  and  inconsiderate  manner 
employed  them  as  their  religious  teachers  and  set- 
tled them  in  their  own  way  without  consulting 
Presbytery, ' '  to  see  ' '  that  such  preacher  appear 
before  the  next  Presbytery  and  exhibit  his  creden- 
dials  for  inspection  and  if  approved  subject  himself 
to  the  direction  of  Presbytery."  On  19  April  1804, 
Mr.  Benedict  appeared  in  Presbytery,  "presented 
his  testimonials  which  were  approved, ' '  and  having 
"engaged  to  comply  with  our  standards  while  in 
our  bounds, ' '  he  was  appointed  to  preach  at  Beth- 
lehem from  time  to  time  until  Sept.  1806  ;  when, 
on  examining  the  Sessional  Records,  exception  was 
made  ' '  that  Mr.  Benedict,  not  being  a  member  of 
Presbytery  nor  in  connection  with  our  church,  had 
acted  as  Moderator,  ex-officio,  in  all  the  meetings 
of  the  Session. ' ' 

The'  matter  was  ' '  referred  to  the  Synod  for 
advice  and  direction."  The  Synod  approved  the 
exception,  and  while  considering  it  highl}^  inexpe- 
dient to  declare  the  acts  and  proceedings  of  the 
Session,  so  moderated,  to  be  invalid,  gravely  ani- 
madverted upon  the  disorderly  conduct  of  the  con- 
gregation in  engaging  a  minister  without  the  advice 
and  consent  of  Presbytery,  and  as  seriously  testified 


HUDSON   PRESBYTKRY.  37 

their  ' '  disapprobation  of  the  conduct  of  the  Pres- 
bytery in  repeatedly  appointing  Mr.  Benedict  as 
supply,  and  even  approving  the  records  of  Session 
moderated  by  him,  for  several  years. ' ' 

The  action  of  Synod  was  entered  at  length  upon 
the  minutes  of  Presbytery  at  its  next  meeting  in 
April  1807,  and  it  was  resolved  "in  future  to  pay 
particular  attention  to  the  above  directions. ' ' 

On  21  April  1808,  Mr.  Denniston,  elder  from 
Bethlehem,  asked  for  a  committee  on  the  affairs  of 
that  church.  Rev.  Messrs.  Baldwin,  Lewis  and 
VanDoren  with  three  elders  were  directed  to  pro- 
ceed to  Bethlehem  on  the  following  Monday.  This 
committee  reported  7  June  following,  their  own 
complete  success  in  satisfying  the  people,  and  the 
engagement  of  the  people  to  comply  with  the  rules 
and  regulations  of  Presbytery. 

On  9  Feb.  1809,  Mr.  Henr>^  Ford  was  ordained 
and  installed  at  Bethlehem.  Presbytery  met  at 
Westtown  on  Tuesday  and  received  Mr.  Ford  as  a 
licentiate  from  the  Presbytery  of  New  York,  and 
examined  him  on  ' '  Classical  studies  and  Church 
History. ' '  On  Wednesday  morning  they  heard  his 
sermon,  and  then  adjourned  to  meet  at  Bethlehem 
at  six  o'clock  p.  m.  At  six  p.  m.  they  met  at  Beth- 
lehem, completed  his  examinations,  from- ' '  Exper- 
imental Religion  "  to  "  Government  and  Discipline 
of  the  Church, ' '  and  on  Thursday  proceeded  to  his 
ordination  and  installation.  Mr.  Ford  was  then 
enrolled  and  took  his  seat.  This  pastoral  relation 
continued  a  little  over  four  years,   during  which 


38  HISTORY   OF 

time  Mr.  Ford  was  also  several  times  employed  as 
Presbyterial  Missionary,  and  in  18 12  went  as  far 
as  Broome  and  Chenango  Counties,  spending  eight 
weeks  in  arduous  and  fruitful  labours.  His  pastoral 
relation  was  dissolved  21  April  181 3. 

On  the  20  April  1814,  Presbytery  received  Mr. 
Artemas  Dean  as  a  licentiate  from  the  "Northern 
Associated  Presbytery,"  and  on  the  11  May  fol- 
lowing, ordained  and  installed  him  at  Bethlehem. 
Mr.  Dean  continued  pastor  until  19  April  1842. 

3.  DEER  PARK. — During  the  vacancy  of  six 
years  which  ensued  upon  the  departure  of  Mr. 
Freeman  from  Deer  Park  church,  their  title  to  the 
meeting  house  and  fifty-five  acres  of  land  was  con- 
tested by  the  ' '  Congregational  Society  of  Mount 
Hope."  The  suit  was  decided  by  the  court  in 
favor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  they  have 
since  retained  undisturbed  possession.  * 

On  29  June  1803,  Mr.  Benjamin  Prime  was  or- 
dained and  installed.  On  26  April  1807,  the 
congregation  petitioned  Presbytery  to  dissolve  the 
pastoral  relation,  Mr.  Prime  concurred,  the  request 
was  granted  and  the  pulpit  declared  vacant.  It 
remained  vacant  for  over  nine  years,  receiving  sup- 
plies from  Presbytery  once  a  month  and,  some 
years,   less  frequently. 

In  April  181 6,  the  Committee  of  Missions  re- 
ported that  they  had  employed  Mr.  William  Blain,  a 
licentiate  of  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Albany, ' '  to  itiner- 


-=^  Rev.  Luther  Littell. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  39 

ate  in  the  Towns  of  Minisink  and  Deer  Park.  On 
the  17  Sept.  following,  Mr.  Blain  was  received 
under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  and  ordained  and 
installed  over  this  church.  He  was  released  from 
this  charge  17  April  1822. 

4.  FISHKILL.  On  the  23  June  1801,  after  a 
vacancy  of  five  years,  Rev.  John  Clark  was  in- 
stalled, for  one  half  his  time,  and  on  20  April 
1803,  he  was  released.  In  1807  there  were  about 
seventeen  members. 

On  7  June  1808,  Rev.  Daniel  Crane  was  re- 
ceived from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New  York, ' '  and 
on  the  9  June  he  was  installed. 

On  9  Sept.  1 81 9,  Rev.  Messrs.  Johnson,  Hyde 
and  Fisk  w^ere  appointed  a  committee  to  visit  the 
congregation  at  Fishkill  on  the  28th  inst.  and  en- 
deavor to  redress  their  grievances.  On  23  Oct. 
this  committee  was  instructed  to  report  to  the 
"Presbytery  of  North  River"  provided  the  Synod 
constitute  that  Presbytery,  which  they  did  that 
same  day.  The  subsequent  history  of  the  Fishkill 
Church  must  therefore  be  traced  in  the  records  of 
that  Presbytery. 

5.  FivORIDA.  6.  WARWICK.  Rev.  John 
Joline  "quit  preaching  in  Warwick  in  1798."  In 
April  1802,  the  Florida  congregation  petitioned* 
Presbytery  to  dissolve  the  pastoral  relation  of  Mr. 
Joline,  and  Mr.  Joline  as  definitely  declined  to 
concur  in  the  request.       Both  parties  were  cited  to 


Petition  on  file. 


40  HISTORY  OF 

appear  at  the  next  meeting  in  September,  when 
Presbytery  dissolved  the  relation  on  the  condition 
that  the  congregation  pay  up  the  arrearages  in 
salary  and  continue  the  salary  with  free  use  of  the 
parsonage  for  eight  months.  Mr.  Joline  died  in 
December  of  that  year.  The  pulpit  was  declared 
vacant  and  supplies  were  appointed,  f 

About  this  time  the  Warwick  people  attempted 
to  form  an  organization  which  should  be  called 
"  The  Dutch  Reformed  and  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Warwick,"  in  which  Presbyterian  Trustees 
would  hold  the  property  and  a  Dutch  Consistory 
care  for  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  people.  This  of 
course  could  have  no  ecclesiastical  recognition,  but 
it  seems  to  have  proved  a  successful  device  to  allay 
local  strife  and  insure  the  organization  of  a  Dutch 
Reformed  Church  by  the  ' '  Classis  of  Paramus, ' ' 
9  Jan.  1804.  And  yet  so  crude  were  their  ideas 
of  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction,  that  a  letter  on  file 
among  the  papers  of  Presbytery  shows  that  ' '  the 
Consistory  and  Trustees,  in  the  year  1809,  ap- 
plied, in  behalf  of  church  and  congregation  of 
Warwick,  to  this  Presbytery  for  supplies, ' '  naively 
requesting  "that  they  be  not  sent  on  the  Sabbaths 
supplied  by  the  Reverend  Classis."  In  response  to 
this  request  Presbytery  continued  to  send  supplies 
until  Aug.   181 1. 

On  25  April  1804,  Florida  and  Amity  had  leave 
to    prosecute    a   call    for    Mr.    Charles    Cummins 


t  Mill,  of  Presb.     Vol.  i,  pps.  172,  187  and  il 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  41 

b'efore  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New  Castle, ' '  each  for 
one-half  his  time,  both  of  which  calls  were  declined. 
Four  years  later,  however,  on  5  Sept.  1808,  Rev. 
Charles  Cummins,  having  accepted  a  call  from 
Florida,  was  received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of 
New  Castle,"  and  on  the  21  of  that  month  was 
installed  ;  a  relationship  that  continued  until  30 
April  1839,  .when  it  was  dissolved  by  the  Presby- 
tery, at  his  request. 

7.  FRANKLIN. — This  church  appears  to  have 
been  vacant  since  1789. 

The  first  official  act  of  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Hud- 
son," however,  had  declared  that  it  still  existed, 
and  supplies  were  accordingly  furnished  from  time 
to  time.  On  25  April  1804,  they  requested  a  supply 
"  to  preach  and  to  ordain  elders."  On  19  April 
1805,  an  admonitory  letter  was  addressed  to  them, 
for  having  employed  a  preacher  from  Europe  with- 
out consulting  the  Presbytery.  This  letter  refers 
to  "  the  eldership  of  that  church,"  showing  that 
the  request  of  the  year  before  had  been  complied 
with.  They  submitted  to  the  reproof,  and  two 
years  later  Rev.  John  McNice,  the  minister  in 
question,  presented  satisfactory  proof  of  his  having 
been  ordained  in  Ireland,  in  1797,  by  the  "  Pres- 
bytery of  Ballymena,"  and  he  was  appointed 
Stated  Supply  for  six  months.  This  church  had 
at  that  time  thirty-three  members. 

On  7  April  1708,  Rev.  Herman  Dagget  was 
appointed  to  supply  the  Franklin  Church,  and  on 
19  April  1809,  he  was  received  from  the  "  Presby- 


42  HISTORY   OF 

ter}'-  of  Long  Island  ' '  and  became  Stated  Supply  ^t 
Franklin  until  April  1814. 

Supplies  were  then  regularly  appointed  until  8 
Sept.  1819,  when  the  church  of  Patterson  received 
permission  to  employ  Rev.  Abner  Brundage  as  Stated 
Supply.  In  1 81 6  the  name  "Franklin  "  had  dis- 
appeared and  the  name  ' '  Patterson  ' '  had  taken  its 
place,  with  no  explanation.  It  is  only  by  reference 
to  the  act  of  the  Legislature,  which  in  1808, 
changed  the  name  of  the  town  from  Franklin  to 
Patterson,  that  we  can  satisfactorily  account  for 
the  substitution  on  the  records  of  Presbytery. 
The  identity  of  these  churches  is  further  estab- 
lished, by  the  fact  that  the  resolution  to  divide  the 
Presbyter}^,  adopted  Oct.  181 9,  provides  that  "the" 
new  Presbytery,  east  of  the  river  should  hold  its 
first  meeting  in  the  Church  of  Patterson,"  where 
we  have  seen  the  old  "Presbyter}^  of  Dutchess" 
had  been  merged  into  the  ' '  Presbytery-  of  Hudson' ' 
twenty-four  years  before.  This  church  passes  from 
our  records  in  charge  of  a  committee,  appointed  at 
their  request,  ' '  to  give  them  assistance  and  advice 
in  conducting  the  business  of  the  church."* 

8.  WALLKILL  (or  Goodwill).  —The  forty  years 
pastorate  of  Rev.  Andrew  King  was  terminated  by 
his  death,  15  Nov.  18 15.  In  Aug.  of  the  next 
year  a  call  was  presented  for  the  services  of  the 
Rev.  William  Gray,  and  leave  was  asked  to  prose- 
cute the  call  before  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New  York, ' ' 


*  Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  4,  p.  139. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  43 

of  which  he  was  a  member.  A  vigorous  protest 
was  also  presented.  Presbytery  refused  to  grant 
permission.  The  protestants  appealed  to  Synod, 
and  their  appeal  was  sustained  :  whereupon  the 
Presbytery  appealed  to  the  General  Assembly 
which  reversed  the  decision  of  Synod  and  sus- 
tained the  Presbytery. 

In  Sept.  1816,  Presbytery  resolved  that  the  name 
"GOODWILIv"  be  hereafter  the  name  by  which 
the  congregation  of  '  Wallkill '  shall  be  known, ' ' 
inasmuch  as  that  is  their  corporate  name. 

In  Sept.  1 81 7,  the  session  petitioned  Presbytery 
"  to  afford  them  relief  from  the  labours  of  the  Rev. 
William  Gray  who  occupied  their  pulpit  without 
their  permission. ' '  Whereupon  the  Presbytery  re- 
quested the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New  York  ' '  to  prevent 
Mr.  Gray  from  ' '  laboring  iu  the  bounds  of  the  con- 
gregation of  Goodwill. ' ' 

On  17  Feb.  1818,  at  a  special  meeting  another 
call  for  Mr.  Gray,  and  a  similar  protest,  signed  by 
fifty  persons,  were  presented,  with  another  refusal 
on  the  part  of  Presbytery. 

At  the  April  meeting  a  long  letter  was  received 
from  the  friends  of  Mr.  Gray  threatening  to  with- 
draw from  connection  with  Presbytery.  A  com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  visit  the  congregation,  and 
endeavor  to  unite  the  contestants.  The  minority 
refused  to  yield  and  the  majority  would  not  relin- 
quish the  purpose  to  settle  Mr.  Gray,  and  Presby- 
tery declared  it  disorderly  for  the  congregation  to 


44  HISTORY   OF 

employ  him.*  In  Sept.  the  threat  to  withdraw 
was  formally  "vacated  and  recalled."  At  the 
same  meeting  leave  was  given  to  prosecute  a  call 
upon  Mr.  John  R.  Crane,  a  licentiate  of  the  ' '  Pres- 
bytery of  Jersey,"  to  become  their  pastor.  In 
April  1 819,  another  formal  call  for  Mr.  Gray  and 
another  emphatic  protest  were  presented,  to  which 
the  Presbytery  again  gave  a  distinct  disapproval. 
Notice  was  promptly  given  of  appeal  to  Synod. 
Presbytery  appointed  the  first  Monday  in  June,  as 
a  day  of  humiliation,  fasting  and  prayer,  and  sent 
a  committee  of  three  ministers  to  conduct  the  re- 
ligious services  at  Goodwill  on  that  day.  This  period 
of  their  history  closes  with  these  parties  unrecon- 
ciled, the  pulpit  vacant,  the  doors  locked  against 
the  Presbyterial  supplies — to  be  opened  only  at  the 
mandate  of  the  civil  court — with  a  schism  in  the 
congregation  apparently  inevitable. 

9.  GOSHEN.  — The  thirty-eight  years  pastorate 
of  Rev.  Nathan  Ker  at  Goshen,  terminated  with 
his  death,  14  Dec.  1804. 

On  19  Nov.  1805,  Rev.  Isaac  Lewis  was  received 
from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Oneida, ' '  and  on  i  Jan. 
1806,  was  installed.  On  i  July  181 2,  his  pastoral 
relation  was  dissolved  ;  and  on  25  Oct.  he  was 
dismissed  to  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New  York. ' ' 

On  20  April  1814,  Rev.  Ezra  Fisk  was  received 
from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Harmony  ' '  and  the  next 
day  was  duly  installed,   commencing  a  pastorate 


Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  4,  p.  31. 


HUDSON   PRKSBYTERY.  45 

which  continued  until  11  Sept.  1833,  when  he  re- 
signed his  pastoral  charge  to  accept  the  Professor- 
ship of  Ecclesiastical  History,  in  Western  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  at  Alleghany,  Penn.  Mr.  Fisk 
began  his  ministry  in  the  church  edifice  which  was 
commenced  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Isaac 
lycwis  and  which  stood  for  fifty-nine  years. 

10.  HOPEWELL.— The  pastoral  relation  of 
the  Rev.  Jonathan  Freeman  to  the  Hopewell 
Church  was  dissolved  17  April  1798.  On  29  June 
1803,  Mr.  Isaac  VanDoren  was  ordained  and  in- 
stalled. His  ministry  was  one  of  great  usefulness, 
and  he  was  cheered  by  a  revival  of  unwonted  power 
and  extent.  He  remained  at  this  post  of  minis- 
terial duty  until  20  April  1825,  when  he  was 
released  and  dismissed  to  the  ' '  Presbytery  of 
Newark. ' ' 

11.  NEW  WINDSOR.  12.  NEWBURGH.— 
After  the  termination  of  the  ministry  of  Rev.  John 
Close,  the  church  at  Newburgh  made  out  a  call 
for  Mr.  Isaac  Lewis,  Jr. ,  of  the  ' '  Western  Asso- 
ciation of  Fairfield,  Conn.,"  18  April  1798.  In 
Sept.  he  produced  a  certificate  of  ordination 
from  that  body  and  became  a  member  of  this 
Presbytery.  He  probably  served  the  Newburgh 
Church  as  pastor-elect  ;  for,  on  4  Sept.  1799,  he 
returned  their  call  and  took  a  dismission  to  the 
' '  Presbytery  of  Albany. ' ' 

On  5  May  1801,  Mr.  Jonathan  Freeman  was  in- 
stalled at  Newburgh  and  New  Windsor.  His 
pastorate  at  Newburgh  ceased  25  April    1804,  and 


46  HISTORY   OF 

he  remained  pastor  of  New  Windsor  alone,  until 
1 8  April  1805,  when  he  was  released  and  dismissed 
to  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia. ' '  * 

On2oNov.  1805,  Mr.  Eliezer  Burnet  was  ordained 
and  installed  pastor  of  these  united  churches.  In 
just  one  year  his  pastorate  was  terminated  by 
death,  22  Nov.  1806. 

On  5  Aug.  1807,  Mr.  John  Johnston  was  ordained 
and  installed  over  these  churches,  and  on  6  Nov. 
18 10,  he  was  released  from  New  Windsor  and 
made  pastor  for  all  his  time  in  Newburgh.  This 
phrase  ' '  all  his  time, ' '  seems  appropriate,  inas- 
much as  Mr.  Johnston  continued  pastor  of  this 
church  forty-eight  years.  An  illustration  of  the 
way  Home  Missionary  work  was  done  in  those 
days,  is  afforded  by  a  single  incident  in  Mr.  John- 
ston's career.  On  4  Sept.  181 1,  a  letter  was 
received  from  "  a  new  congregation,  to  be  known 
by  the  style  of  '  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  the 
Cookhouse  Settlement,'  requesting  to  be  taken 
under  the  care  of  this  Presbytery."  Presbytery 
'promised  "all  the  assistance  in  their  power,"  and 
in  April  18 12,  the  Committee  of  Missions  "re- 
ported that  they  had  employed  Rev.  Henry  Ford 
for  three  weeks  and  Rev.  Messrs.  Johnston  and 
Noah  Coe  for  two  weeks  each,  to  itinerate  on  the 
Western  side  of  the  Shawangunk  Mountain." 
Mr.  Johnston  made  this  ."  outing"  between  Octo- 
ber and  April  on  horseback,  riding  sixty  miles   to 

*  Mill.  Presb.     Vol.  i,  p.  275. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  47 

the  Delaware,  fording  it,  and  continuing  fifty 
miles  further  to  Cookhouse,  Tompkins  Township, 
Delaware  County,  preaching  there  and  at  several 
other  places.  ' '  Cookhouse  ' '  afterward  became 
the  ' '  first  church  of  Tompkins, ' '  and  is  now  the 
' '  Church  of  Deposit, ' '  in  the  ' '  Presbytery  of 
Binghamton "  with  two  hundred  and  twent}'- 
four  members.  It  was  headquarters  for  lumber- 
men who  here  reconstructed  their  rafts  for  the  run 
to  Philadelphia,  and  clubbed  together  to  employ  a 
cook  for  their  accommodation.*  Supplies  were 
sent  to  preach  "  at  the  Cookhouse  "  the  first  Sab- 
bath in  June  and  the  second  Sabbath  in  Aug. 
1815. 

13.  PITTSBURGH.  14.  PLEASANT  VAL- 
LBY.  Rev.  John  Clark  was  installed  at  Pleasant 
Valley  24  June  1801.  On  20  April  1803,  he  ac- 
cepted a  call  to  Pittsburgh.  His  installation, 
however,  did  not  take  place  until  the  first  Tuesday 
in  Sept.  1805.  His  relation  to  these  united 
churches  was  severed  25  Jan.  1806,  and  on  the 
same  day  he  was  dismissed  to  the  "  Presbytery  of 
Philadelphia."  In  two  years  he  was  recalled  and 
5  Oct.  1808,  installed  at  Pleasant  Valley,  where  he 
continued  until  Sept.  1829.  During  the  two  years 
-of  his  absence,  a  remarkable  revival  of  religion 
began,  and  continued  some  time  after  his  return. 
Ninety-five  persons  united  with  the  church  and  as 
manv    more    with    neiehborine    churches.       The 


Rev.  J.  S.  Patteiigill. 


48  HISTORY   OF 

church,  at  the  time  enjoyed  only  occasional  sup- 
plies of  preaching,  but  the  elders  and  members  of 
the  church  carried  on  the  meetings.  It  was  not 
uncommon  for  persons  under  conviction  to  become 
insensible  and  fall  to  the  floor.  Again  in  1812, 
one  hundred  and  three  were  received  into  the 
communion  of  the  church  :  and  the  meeting  house 
was  enlarged  at  an  expense  of  $2,500. 

During  all  this  time  the  church  of  Pittsburgh 
is  not  mentioned  except  as  receiving  occasional 
supplies.  But  in  April  181 3  a  letter  was  received 
from  that  church  stating  "that  they  were  able  to 
support  a  pastor  and  wished  so  to  be  recognized  on 
the  records  of  Presbytery."  "On  5  Aug.  181 4, 
thirty  persons,  whose  names  are  on  record,  were 
dismissed  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  separate 
organization  at  Pittsburgh  ;"  and  on  7  Sept.  1814, 
commissioners,  one  of  whom  was  enrolled  as  an 
elder,  reported  ' '  that  a  church  had  lately  been  or- 
ganized at  Pittsburgh."  Evidently  this  was  a 
reorganization  of  the  old  church.  Supplies  were 
furnished  for  a  few  Sabbaths  at  nearly  every  stated 
meeting  of  Presbytery  until  April  181 9,  when  Rev. 
Bliphalet  Price  was  appointed  Stated  Supply  for 
one-half  his  time  at  Pittsburgh. 

15.  SALEM. — After  the  release  of  Rev.  Solo- 
mon Mead  from  his  long  pastorate  of  forty-eight 
years,  4  Sept.  1800,  supplies  were  appointed  for 
two  years  ;  when,  7  Sept.  1802,  Rev.  Robert 
Chapman  of  the  ' '  Presbyter}^  of  New  York  ' '  was 
appointed  Stated  Supply.      A  call  was  presented  to 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  49 

Mr.  Chapman  the  next  April,  which  he  declined. 
On  28  Nov.  1804,  Rev.  John  Ely  was  installed. 
On  10  Dec.  181 1,  the  congregation  asked  a  dis- 
solution of  the  pastoral  relation  on  the  ground  of 
their  "inability  to  raise  the  stipulated  salary  with- 
out endangering  the  safety  of  the  Society."  Mr. 
Ely  concurred  in  the  request  and  the  relationship 
was  dissolved.  The  next  year  Mr.  Charles  F. 
Butler,  a  licentiate  of  the  "Association  of  the 
Eastern  District  of  Fairfield, ' '  was  appointed  Stated 
Supply,  and  was  in  charge  at  the  close  of  this 
period. 

16.  UNION — Continued  under  the  pastoral  care 
of  Rev.  Jehu  Minor  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
5  July  1808.  On  the  22  April  1809,  Presbytery 
regretfully  dismissed  that  church  at  their  own  re- 
quest, to  place  themselves  under  the  care  of  the 
' '  Eastern  Consociation  of  Fairfield  County. ' '  Not- 
withstanding this,  the  Union  Church  continued  to 
send  its  annual  Statistical  Report  to  Presbytery. 
The  membership  of  sixty-three  in  1809,  was  in- 
creased to  119  in  1 81 7.  Evidently  there  remained 
strong  Presbyterian  sympathies  and  a  very  decided 
Presbyterian  influence  in  the  old  South  East 
Church. 

4 


CHAPTER  V. 

CHURCHES   ADDED   TO   THE   ROI.I.   IN   THIS  PERIOD. 

To  these  sixteen  original  churches,  no  fewer 
than  twenty-eight  were  received  under  the  care  of 
Presbytery  up  to  Oct.  1819.  The  histories  of  these, 
in  the  order  of  their  reception,  are  as  follows  : 

1.  NEW  TOWN.— On  20  April  1790,  the 
church  of  New  Town,  Tioga  County,  requested  to 
be  taken  under  the  care  of  Presbytery.  A  pledge 
was  given  "  to  afford  all  the  supplies  and  assistance 
in  their  power. ' '  Although  there  is  no  subsequent 
reference  to  this  remote  organization  further  than 
that  "  Mr.  Ker  was  directed  to  transmit  a  copy  of 
this  minute  and  express  to  the  church  at  New 
Town  the  friendly  intentions"  of  Presbytery,  it  is 
worthy  of  notice,  inasmuch  as  it  shows  tlie  wide 
extent  of  territory  that  looked  to  this  Presb}tery 
for  aid  and  sympathy  in  those  earl}'  days. 

2.  SCOTCHTOWN.— A  Presbyterian  congre- 
gation was  formed  in  1796,  and  a  meeting  house 
was  built  in  1797.* 

On  19  April  1798,  "Jacob  Mills  and  George 
Houston  requested  that  a  Presbyterian  church  in 
the  Town  of  Wallkill  which  had  lately  eredled  a 
house  for  public  worship  might  be  taken  under  the 
care   of   Presbytery   and  have  supplies  appointed 


Rev.  David  Beattie, 

(50) 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  5 1 

them."  On  17  April  1799  commissioners  from 
' '  the  new  church  in  the  Town  of  Wallkill  ' '  asked 
that  Rev.  Methuselah  Baldwin  might  be  appointed 
their  supply  "one-third  of  his  time"  until  the 
next  meeting  of  Presbytery.  This  request  was 
granted  and  other  supplies  were  also  appointed. 
On  3  Sept.  1800,  "Mr.  Baldwin  at  the  new  church 
half  his  time."  On  22  April  1802,  the  new  church 
is  for  the  first  time  called  "Scotchtown."  On  21 
April  1803,  Mr.  Baldwin  accepted  a  call  from  this 
church  and  was  installed  on  30  June.  The  ec- 
clesiastical organization  seems  to  have  been  per- 
fected on  the  same  day  by  the  ordination  of 
elders.  Mr.  Baldwin  continued  pastor  of  this 
church  until  after  the  close  of  this  period. 

3.  CHESTER.— Under  the  preaching  of  Rev. 
Silas  Constant  a  congregation  was  gathered  and  a 
church  lot  was  secured  as  early  as  March  1783.* 
Two  other  meeting  houses,  each  on  a  different 
site,  have  since  been  erected. 

On  the  14  Nov.  1798,  "a  number  of  people  in 
Chester,  who  had  latebv  builded  a  house  for  public 
worship,  desired  to  be  considered  under  the  care  of 
Presbyter^'  and  to  have  supplies."  No  other  in- 
formation is  at  hand  concerning  this  church,  until 
18  April  1809,  when  the  "  Trustees  of  the  congre- 
gation of  Chester  applied  to  Presbytery  for 
supplies." 

These  were  sent  for  fourteen  Sabbaths  in  the 
next  two  years.  Again,  on  17  April  181 1,  the 
'•^  Rev.  D.  N.  Freeland. 


52  HISTORY   OF 

congregation  asked  "  to  be  taken  under  the  care  of 
Presbytery,  reserving  their  usual  form  of  govern- 
ment until  they  see  their  way  clear  to  adopt  the 
Sessional  mode."  At  the  same  time  a  call  was 
presented  for  Mr.  Noah  Coe,  a  licentiate  of  ' '  the 
Eastern  Association  of  New  Haven  County." 
Mr.  Coe  was  ordained  and  installed  2  July  181 1. 

In  April  1813,  "the  church  and  congregation, 
by  a  public  vote,  adopted  the  Presbyterian  mode 
of  church  government,  "t 

In  Sept.  of  the  same  year,  Mr.  Coe's  pastoral 
relation  was  dissolved,  and  one  year  later  he  was 
dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of  Oneida."  On  11 
Oct.  1 814,  Mr.  James  H.  Thompson  was  ordained 
and  installed  ;  a  relationship  which  existed 
twelve  years  and  six  months,  Mr.  Thompson 
being  released  at  his  own  request  18  April  1827. 

4.  CROMPOND,  or  YORK  TOWN.— Tradi- 
tion says  ' '  a  congregation  was  formed  at  Crompond 
as  early  as  1730,  and  was  housed  in  1738."  The 
leased  lot  on  which  the  new  meeting  house  stood, 
was  deeded  "  for  the  use  of  a  Presbyterian  congre- 
gation only"  on  2  Jan.  1739.  Rev.  Samuel 
Sacket  preached  there  in  1742,  and  after  his  set- 
tlement in  Bedford  in  1743,  he  supplied  Crompond 
one-fourth  of  his  time  from  19  May  1747,  until 
6  Dec.  1749.  In  1753,  he  was  called  to  "Hanover" 
and  settled  there  until  24  Oct.  1761,  when  he  was 


HUDSON   PRE:SBYTKRY.  53 

installed  at  ' '  Crompond, ' '  where  he  died  5  June 
1784,  aged  seventy-two  years.* 

In  June  1779,  British  troops  burned  storehouse, 
parsonage  and  church. 

The  church  was  rebuilt  in  the  summer  of  1785. 

Rev.  Silas  Constant  began  to  preach  here  on  3 
Nov.  1785,  and  was  installed  a  year  later,  by  a 
council,  at  his  own  special  request.  His  ministry 
continued  twenty  years,  f 

A  committee,  by  request  to  Presbytery  from 
thirty-three  members  of  a  Presbyterian  congrega- 
tion formerly  under  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Dutchess, ' ' 
was  sent  to  Yorktown  in  1806.  They  reported  on 
3  Sept. ,  ' '  that  old  congregation  in  a  broken  and 
divided  state, ' '  and  ' '  considered  it  the  duty  of 
Presbytery  to  pay  due  attention  to  the  Presbyte- 
rians found  there.  Rev.  Ebenezer  Grant  was 
appointed  to  preach  in  York  Town  the  third  Sab- 
bath in  October,  to  preside  in  the  choice  of  elders, 
ordain  them  if  he  think  proper  and  administer  the 
Lord's  Supper." 

On  7  June  1808,  Mr.  Andrew  Thompson  was 
ordained  and  installed  ;  on  20  April  181 4,  his 
pastoral  relation  was  dissolved,  he  having  ac- 
cepted a  call  from  the  church  of  Greenbush.  Sup- 
plies were  regularly  furnished  by  Presbytery  until 
21  Oct.  1 81 8,  when  licentiate  Robert  G.  Arm- 
strong was  appointed  Stated  Supply.  While  there, 
however,  he  accepted  a  call  from  Pine   Plains,   for 


^  Baird's  History  of  Bedford  Church,     p.  58. 

t  Rev.  W.  J.  Gumming,  1876.     History  of  York  Town  Church. 


54  HISTORY   OF 

one  half  his  time,  and  was  ordained  and  installed 
at  that  place  on  lo  June  1819,  leaving  the  church 
of  York  Town  with  twenty-four  members,  "to  be 
supplied.  "J 

5.  WBSTTOWN.— The  preaching  occasionally 
enjoyed  in  this  "  oldest  settlement  in  Mini- 
sink "  began  to  bear  fruit  26  Jan.  1790,  in 
the  regular  election  of  a  Board  of  Trustees 
for  the  "Presbyterian  Society  in  and  about 
Westtown, ' '  under  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Mor- 
ris County."  This  effort  appears  to  have 
come  to  naught.  On  10  March  1803,  the 
people  of  Westtown  met  and  incorporated  "the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  (of  the  old  Presbyterian 
order)  of  Westtown,"  and  subscriptions  were 
started  for  a  meeting  house,  which  by  July  1805, 
amounted  to  $1,733.50. 

On  19  Aug.  1805,  the  "  Presbyterian  congrega- 
tion of  Westtown"  was  incorporated.  Rev.  D.  C. 
Niven,  in  his  local  history,  does  not  attempt  any 
other  distinction  between  these  apparently  rival 
corporations.  The  meeting  house  was  inclosed 
before  winter  1806,  but  was  for  some  months  in 
an  unfinished  condition.  The  pews  were  sold  in 
the  fall  of  1807.  On  4  Sept.  1806,  "  the  Society 
of  Westtown  was  taken  under  the  care  of  Presby- 
tery ' '  and  supplies  were  furnished.  *  On  8  Jan. 
1809,  the  church  was  regularly  organized  by  the 
ordination  of  Ruling  Elders,  and  on  9  Feb.   Rev. 

X  Mill.  Presb.     Vol.  11,  pp.  18,  24. 
*  Mill,  of  Presb.     Vol.  il,  p.  21. 


HUDSON   PRKSBYTERY.  55 

Thomas  Grier  was  installed  as  the  first  pastor. 
His  labors  were  greatly  blessed.  One  hundred 
and  three  persons  were  received  into  the  com- 
munion of  the  church  in  181 5,  and  fifty-seven  in 
1 816,  all  on  examination.  Mr.  Grier' s  pastorate 
extended  to  12  Sept.  1827,  ^^^^  was  graced  by 
another  wonderful  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
Fall  of  1820,  resulting  in  the  addition  of  one 
hundred  and  ninety-four  on  profession  of  their 
faith  in  Christ. 

6.  WAPPING'S  CREEK.— On  6  Sept.  1809, 
"the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Wapping's 
Creek  "  in  the  Town  of  Poughkeepsie,  was  placed 
upon  the  roll  of  churches.  On  5  Sept.  181 1,  Rev. 
Eliphalet  Price  was  installed.  His  pastoral  rela- 
tion was  dissolved  2  Sept.  1818  ;  but  on  21  of  the 
next  April  he  was  recalled  "for  one-half  his 
time"  and  was  again  installed  i  July  181 9.  The 
other  half  of  his  time  was  employed  as  Stated 
Supply  of  the  reorganized  church  of  Pittsburgh,  f 

7.  AMITY.— On  5  Sept.  1799,  "the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Amity  petitioned  Presbytery  for 
advice  and  assistance  respecting  their  organiza- 
tion," and  that  supplies  might  be  sent  them. 
Their  request  was  promptly  complied  with  and 
supplies  appointed. 

On  21  Sept.  1801,  "Mr.  Benjamin  Prime,  a  licen- 
tiate of  the  '  South  Association  of  Litchfield, '  was 
appointed  to  supply  the  Church  of  Amity  one-half 


t  Ibid.     Vol.  IV,  p.  95,  and  Vol.  v,  p.  68. 


56  HIvSTORY   OF 

his  time,  with  permission  to  spend  the  other  half 
in  any  of  our  vacant  churches  where  Providence 
shall  open  a  door." 

The  joint  call  with  the  Florida  Church  upon 
Mr.  Charles  Cummins,  April  1804,  has  already  been 
referred  to.  On  6  Sept.  1809,  Mr.  Daniel  C.  Hop- 
kins, a  licentiate  of  the  "Presbytery  of  New 
York,"  was  received.];  A  commissioner  from 
Amity  ' '  requested  the  Presbytery  to  organize  a 
church  among  them  on  or  before  the  first  Tuesday 
in  October. ' '  §  On  4  Oct.  the  church  was  organized 
by  the  ordination  of  two  to  the  office  of  ruling  elder 
and  deacon,  and  a  third  to  the  office  of  ruling 
elder  ;  Mr.  Hopkins  was  then  ordained  and  in- 
stalled. His  pastoral  relation  was  dissolved  on  27 
Jan.  1818. 

On  9  June  181 9,  Mr.  William  Timlow  was 
ordained  and  installed,  and  took  his  seat  as  a 
member  of  Presbytery. 

8.  MARLBOROUGH.  9.  NEWPALTZ.— On 
8  Aug.  1763,  a  subscription  was  started  for  build- 
ing a  meeting  house  in  Marlborough.  Land  was 
given,  the  deed  for  which  should  be  void  if  any 
minister  not  in  the  ' '  Presbyterian  faith  ' '  should 
be  settled.  On  i  Jan.  1764,  Trustees  were  chosen. 
A  building  thirty-five  by  twenty-five,  was  so  far 
completed  by  26  Aug.  as  to  be  used,  and  the  first 
sermon  in  it  was  delivered  that  day.  Early  in 
1766  they  secured  the  services  of  the  Rev  Abner 

t  Ibid.     Vol.  I,  pps.  103,  159  and  243. 

I  Ibid.     Vol.  n,  p.  169,  and  Vol.  11,  p.  115. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  57 

Brush,  just  resigned  from  Goshen,  who  supplied 
them  for  several  years. 

Rev.  John  Mecallah  began  to  preach,  half  his 
time  at  Marlborough  and  half  at  Newburgh,  on  22 
Sept.  1773;  which  was  eleven  years  before  a 
society  was  legally  incorporated  at  either  New- 
burgh or  Marlborough.  After  the  War  of  the 
Revolution,  $400  was  subscribed  to  support  a  min- 
ister one  year,  ' '  no  Baptist  or  Separate  minister  to 
be  allowed  to  preach,  under  any  pretense  what- 
ever." Rev.  Bthan  Osborn  came  in  1786,  and 
supplied  them,  preaching  at  the  same  time  at 
Paltz,  until  1792.  On  22  Nov.  1792,  the  "Morris 
County  Presbytery  ' '  ordained  and  installed  the  first 
pastor  Mr.  Abel  Jackson,  and  a  year  after,  in  spite 
of  the  forfeit  named  in  the  deed,  organized  a 
church  of  eight  members.  Mr.  Jackson  remained 
pastor  until  1799,  and  no  one  cared  to  contest  the 
title  to  the  church  property.  For  ten  years  the 
pulpit  was  vacant,  with  infrequent  supplies.  On 
18  April  1 810,  they  were  at  their  own  request  re- 
ceived under  the  care  of  Presbyter}^,  the  congrega- 
tion of  New  Paltz  joining  in  the  request.  On  12 
Sept.  1 810,  Mr.  James  I.  Ostrom  was  ordained  and 
installed  pastor  of  these  united  churches.  In  Oct. 
181 1,  a  remarkable  revival  and  ingathering  of  souls 
was  witnessed  at  Marlborough,  no  fewer  than  116 
being  received  into  the  communion  of  that  church, 
while  at  New  Paltz,  under  the  same  ministry  and 
but  six  miles  distant,  there  was  no  special  interest. 


58  HISTORY   OF 

Mr.  Ostrom  remained  pastor  at  New   Paltz   until 
1827,  3-nd  at  Marlborough  until  1829. '^'" 

10.  LIBERTY. — The  seed  sown  by  mission- 
aries of  Presbytery,  west  of  the  Shawangunk 
Mountains,  was  not  lost.  Mr.  Daniel  C.  Hopkins, 
who  had  been  assigned  to  missionary  duty  for  two 
months,  organized  the  church  at  Liberty,  f 

On  5  Sept.  1 810,  "The  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  the  Town  of  Liberty"  requested  to  be 
taken  under  the  care  of  Presbytery  and  to  have 
supplies  sent  them.  Presbytery  received  them 
promising  all  the  assistance  in  their  power.  Sup- 
plies were  regularly  appointed  at  every  meeting 
of  Presbytery  for  many  years.  There  is  an  entry 
in  the  original  Session  Book,  dated  4  June  181 5, 
and  signed  by  Rev.  John  Boyd.  Several  hopeful 
conversions  were  reported  that  year,  and  the  total 
of  communicants  was  twenty-four. 

11.  COCHBCTON.— On  4  Sept.  181 1,  a  num- 
ber of  inhabitants  of  Cochecton  asked  for  supplies. 
On  9  March  181 2,  "The  Presbyterian  Society  of 
Cochecton"  was  incorporated.  On  i  July  1812, 
they  were  taken  under  the  care  of  Presbyter}^  On 
22  August,  the  church  was  organized  with  fifteen 
members.  Supplies  were  furnished  at  every  meet- 
ing of  Presbytery  up  to  April  1817  ;  but  not  again 
until  April  1820. 

12.  UNION  CHURCH— In  the  Town  of  Beek- 
man,  Dutchess  County,  on  21  April  181 2,  request- 

*  Centennial  Discourse.     Rev.  Samuel  H.  Jagger. 
t  Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  11,  p.  228. 


HUDSON    PRKSBYTERY.  59 

ed  supplies  for  the  second  and  fourth  Sabbaths  of 
each  month,  and  also  that  Rev.  Bliphalet  Price 
might  be  so  appointed.  Their  request  was  com- 
plied with. 

13.  SMiTHFlEIvD.— On  20  April  1814,  "The 
United  Congregational  Church  of  Smithfield ' '  re- 
quested to  be  taken  under  the  care  of  Presbytery, 
' '  reserving  their  form  of  government  ;  ' '  their  re- 
quest was  granted.  This  Church  furnished  one 
candidate  for  the  ministry,  Mr.  George  W.  Gale, 
who  was  licensed  with  Phinehas  Camp  and  Samuel 
Pelton,  6  Sept.  181 6.* 

14.  SOMERS.— At  the  same  meeting,  "The 
Presbyterian  Union  Society  of  Somers"  requested 
supplies,  and  they  were  furnished  at  three  suc- 
cessive meetings  of  Presbytery. 

15.  GRBENBUSH.— The  Greenbush  Church 
was  organized  18  Oct.  181 2,  in  Orange  Town, 
Rockland  County,  by  Rev.  Eliphalet  Price,  with 
ten  members,  who  worshipped  in  the  Acad- 
emy until  their  meeting  house  was  built,  in  1823. 
Supplies  were  furnished  by  Presbytery  until,  on  15 
June  1 81 4,  Rev.  Andrew  Thompson,  having  de- 
clined a  call  from  the  Pittsburgh  Church,  was  in- 
stalled. His  pastorate  continued  nineteen  years 
lacking  twelve  days. 

16.  PIvEASANT  VALLEY.  (West.)— On  8 
Sept.  1813,  "  The  first  Presbyterian  Congregation 
of    Pleasant  Valley,"    Ulster  County,    about    six 


Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  iii,  pps.  145-6. 


6o  '  HISTORY   OF 

miles  west  of  Marlborough,  requested  to  be  taken 
under  the  care  of  Presbytery  and  to  have  supplies. 
The  Presbytery  received  them  and  furnished  sup- 
plies for  many  years.  This  organization  never 
had  a  pastor. 

17.  AMBNIA  NORTH.  18.  AMENIA 
SOUTH.— On  19  April  1815,  "The  Church  and 
Society  of  Amenia  ' '  and  the  ' '  South  Presbyterian 
Church  and  Society  of  Union,"  were  both  received 
under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery,  and  calls  upon 
Rev.  Joel  Osborn  for  ' '  one-third ' '  to  one,  and  for 
' '  two-thirds  of  his  time  "to  the  other,  were  put  in 
his  hands.  On  28  June  following,  he  was  installed 
pastor  of  those  united  churches.'^  Mr.  Osborn' s 
relation  to  the  North  congregation  of  Amenia  was 
dissolved  on  21  Oct.  18 18,  and  supplies  were  ap- 
pointed. 

These  churches  were  formed  in  1748,  and  in 
1749,  respectively.  Mr.  Osborn  was  received  from 
the  "  Fairfield  Bast  Association,"  Conn.,  on  the 
preceding  April,  and  could  not  have  been  "or- 
dained pastor  of  the  Amenia  South,  in  181 5  by 
the  Associated  Presbytery  of  Westchester,"  as  is 
stated  on  p.  13  of  Mr.  Wight's  Historical  Sketch 
of  ' '  North  River  Presbytery. ' ' 

19.  PBBKSKILL.— In  April  1815,  the  Pres- 
byterian congregation  of  Peekskill  was  taken 
under  the  care  of  Presbytery,  and  supplies  were 
sent  them  at  three  succeeding  meetings. 


*  Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  m,  p.  156. 


HUDSON    PRKSBYTERY.  6 1 

20.  NYACK. — The  Christian  people  in  Nyack 
for  a  number  of  years  held  their  religious  meetings 
in  a  School  House  ;  and  when  the  Greenbush 
Church  was  organized  some  habitually  went  over 
the  mountain  to  their  more  commodious  academy. 
In  1 81 5,  they  determined  to  build  themselves  a 
house  of  worship,  which  they  did  the  next  year, 
upon  the  same  lot  "where  the  present  church 
stands,"  and  on  8  April  1816,  "The  Presbyterian 
Society  of  Nyack  "  was  taken  under  the  care  of 
Presbytery.  Rev.  Andrew  Thompson  was  pastor 
of  the  united  churches  of  Greenbush  and  Nyack, 
preaching  for  a  number  of  years  in  Nyack  one- 
quarter  of  his  time  and  afterward  more  frequently,  f 

21.  RIDGEBURY.— On  17  April  18 16,  a 
communication  from  the  congregation  at  Ridge- 
bury,  requesting  supplies,  was  received.  Their 
request  was  granted.  This  congregation  was 
organized  on  10  July  1792,  with  eighteen  mem- 
bers, by  Rev.  Messrs.  Benoni  Bradner  and  Isaac 
Sergeant.  They  adopted  the  title  of  "The  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Ridgebury,"  but  were 
Congregational  in  government,  under  the  "Asso- 
ciated Presbytery  of  Morris  county."  Rev.  Isaac 
Sergeant  was  the  first  pastor,  and  his  remains  lie  in 
the  village  cemetery,  which  he  himself  had  pre- 
sented to  the  congregation. 

During  a  period  of  twenty-five  years  they  had 
reached  a  total  membership    of    ninety-two.      Of 


t  Local  History.     Hon.  vSeth  B.  Cole. 


62  HISTORY   OF 

these,  fifty  persons,  on  5  July  18 17,  at  a  meeting 
called  for  the  purpose.  Resolved,  "  To  adopt  the 
Confession  of  Faith  and  Form  of  Government  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  to  place  themselves 
under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson. ' '     On 

19  July,  they  elected  elders  who  were  ordained  on 
30  Aug.,  by  Rev.  William  Blain. 

On  2  Sept.  1 81 7,  they  represented  themselves 
as  "having  become  in  all  respects  a  regular 
organized  Presbyterian  Congregation."  They 
were  taken  under  the  care  of  Presbytery  and  Mr. 
Jonathan  Bailey  took  his  seat  as  an  elder.  On  3 
Sept.  they  presented  a  call  upon  Rev.  William 
Blain,  who,  one  year  before  had  been  installed  at 
Deer  Park,  "  to  be  their  pastor  one-half  his  time. ' ' 
He  accepted  their  call  and  was  installed  on  30 
Sept.  1817. 

22.  BLOOMING  GROVE.— This  congregation 
was  formed  about  the  year  1750  by  colonists  from 
Long  Island.  Their  first  house  of  worship  was 
erected  in  1759.  Their  first  pastor,  Rev.  Enos 
Ayres,  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Abner  Reeve  in 
1764.  In  1770,  Rev.  Amaziah  Lewis  became 
pastor.  Rev.  Benoni  Bradner  was  his  successor, 
being  settled  somewhere  about  1790,  and  continu- 
ing until  1802.  In  1 8 10,  Rev.  Noah  Crane  was 
received  from  the  "  Presbytery  of  Jersey,"  and  on 

20  Aug.  181 1,  Presbyter}^  held  a  special  meeting 
at  Blooming  Grove  Church,  and  deposed  him  from 
the  ministry  for  the  confessed  crime   of  adultery.  * 


Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  ii,  p.  220. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  63 

In  Jan.  1812,  Mr.  William  Rafferty,  a  licentiate  of 
a  foreign  Presbytery,  was  received  as  a  proba- 
tioner, and  was  granted  permission  to  labor  in 
Blooming  Grove,  f  In  181 3,  Presbytery  was  re- 
quested to  ordain  Mr.  Rafferty,  and  out  of  defer- 
ence to  the  objections  of  twenty-three  members  of 
the  congregation,  not  to  proceed  to  installation. 
Presby terv^  •  acceded  to  their  request  and  on  2  2 
June,  he  was  ordained  ' '  sine  titiilo. ' '  On  1 7 
April  18 1 6,  Mr.  Rafferty  was  dismissed  to  the 
'' Presbytery  of  Philadelphia."  On  6  Aug.  1816, 
the  congregation  of  Blooming  Grove  requested  to 
be  taken  under  the  care  of  Presbytery,  with  the 
reservation  of  their  form  of  government.  Their 
request  was  granted,  and  the  next  day  Mr.  Luther 
Halsey  was  ordained  and  installed  their  pastor. 

23.  HAVERSTRAW,  FIRST.— The  first, 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Haverstraw  had  its  origin 
in  the  solemn  written  covenant  of  the  principal 
English  residents  of  Haverstaw,  Stony  Point  and 
Clarkstown,  to  pay  certain  sums  yearly  and  every 
year  for  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  etc.,  dated 
19  May  1 78 1. 

In  1789,  it  was  resolved  to  build  a  meeting 
house.  The  deed  for  a  church  lot,  bearing  date 
17  Aug.  1789,  finely  executed  on  parchment,  is 
still  extant,  reserving  "seven  feet  square  inside 
the  church,  and  sixteen  feet  square  in  the  grave- 
yard," for  the  donor,  the  property  to  revert  to  the 


t  lb.     Vol.  Ill,  p.  41. 


64  HISTORY   OF 

heirs  when  no  longer  used  for  church  purposes.  A 
wooden  meeting  house,  forty  feet  square,  was 
erected  in  1790,  and  was  used  as  a  church  for 
fifty-seven  years.  Another  document  still  extant, 
dated  25  March  1809,  gives  the  Baptist  congrega- 
tion of  Haverstraw  the  privilege  of  using  the 
building  half  the  time  on  condition  that  they  re- 
pair it.  The  first  resident  English  minister  in  the 
town  was  Rev.  Robert  Burns,  who  bought  a  farm 
in  1775.  His  tomb-stone  still  stands  and  tells  the 
passer-by  that  he  died  22  Nov.  1791,  aged  eighty- 
four.  For  many  years  the  church  had  only 
such  supplies  as  it  could  get  from  Sabbath  to  Sab- 
bath. This  church  and  that  of  Kakiate,  or  New 
Hempstead,  belonged  to  the  "  Presbytery  of  Jersey , " 
and  both  were  received  on  certificate  from  that 
Presbytery,  18  Feb.  18 17  f  on  that  day  also  Mr. 
Samuel  Pelton,  having  been  licensed  6  April  1816, 
was  ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  these  united 
churches,  a  relation  which  continued  twenty- 
three  years. 

24.  POUGHKBEPSIK.— On  16  April  1817, 
' '  Peter  Lewis  laid  before  Presb3^ter}'  a  certified 
copy  of  the  act  of  incorporation  of  a  congregation 
in  the  Village  of  Poughkeepsie  styled  "  The  First 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  Village  of  Poughkeep- 
sie," and  requested  in  behalf  of  said  congregation 
"that  they  be  taken  under  the  care  of  this  Presby- 
tery.    Their  request  was  granted. ' '  f 


"'  Mill,  of  Presb.     Vol.  iii,  p.  321. 
t  Ibid.     Vol.  Ill,  p.  343. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  65 

25.  PINE  PLAINS— .On  3  Sept  1818,  the  con- 
gregation of  Pine  Plains  was  taken  under  the  care  of 
Presbytery.  On  2 1  Oct.  Mr.  Robert  G.  Armstrong 
was  appointed  Stated  Supply,  and  on  30  June 
1 81 9,  he  was  ordained  and  installed. 

26.  MONTlCElvLO.— Supplies  were  appointed 
for  Monticello  at  every  stated  meeting  of  Presbytery 
from  April  1807,  until  Sept.  18 19,  without  excep- 
tion. Twenty-three  different  ministers  were  ap- 
pointed :  Mr.  Cummins  and  Mr.  Grier  each  eleven 
times  ;  Mr.  Baldwin  nine  times  ;  Mr.  RafFerty  five 
times  ;  Mr.  VanDoren  four  times  ;  and  Messrs. 
Ostrom,  Hopkins  and  Price  each  three  times.  On 
4  Sept.  18 1 6,  leaA^e  was  given  to  prosecute  a  call 
upon  licentiate  Wells  Andrews,  before  the  ' '  Pres- 
bytery of  New  Brunswick,"  but  Mr.  Andrews,  who 
had  been  commissioned  to  itinerate  for  one  month 
west  of  the  Shawangunk  Mountains,  did  not  see 
his  way  clear  to  accept  it.  , 

The  church  was  organized  with  twelve  members, 
on  7  Oct.  1810  ;  on  which  day  Rev.  Andrew  King 
had  been  appointed  to  preach,  ordain  the  previously 
elected  elders  and  administer  the  Lord's  Supper. 
The  next  April,  Monticello  appears  on  the  list  of 
churches,  with  thirteen  members,  and  in  1816, 
with  forty-seven  members.  In  Sept.  181 7,  Pres- 
bytery resolved  "  that  Monticello,  White  Lake  and 
Liberty  have  but  one  supply  each  during  the  next 
six  months,  and  that  he  should  administer  the 
Lord's  Supper."  The  first  pastor  was  the  Rev.  John 
5 


66  HISTORY   OF 

Boyd,  who  was  called  from  the  "Presbytery  of 
Newton"  in  April,  and  installed  for  one-half  his 
time  on  6  July  1820.  His  pastorate  closed  on  20 
April  1825. 

27.  WHITE  LAKE.— The  early  settlers  in 
the  vicinity  of  White  Eake,  were  from  New  Eng- 
land and  from  Scotland,  to  whom  the  school  house 
and  the  church  were  prime  necessities.  Though 
chiefly  Congregational  in  sentiment,  they  resolved, 
25  Dec.  1805,  "To  be  formed  into  a  society  of 
worship  publicly  called  Presbyterian."  They 
chose  trustees  and  adopted  the  title  of  "  The  White 
Lake  Presbyterian  Society." 

On  the  next  Christmas  1806,  they  voted  to  build 
a  house  of  worship,  and  fixed  its  location.  On 
Christmas  1807,  they  reconsidered  the  matter  of 
location,  and  appointed  a  committee  of  seven  ' '  to 
stick  a  stake  on  the  place  where  to  ere6l  a  church." 
On  15  Aug.  1808,  they  voted  that  "  the  trustees 
should  determine  the  exa6l  place  within  four  rods 
of  a  certain  marked  beech  tree."  At  the  next 
annual  meeting,  26  Dec.  1808,  subscriptions  to  the 
building  were  found  to  have  reached  the  sum  of 
$961.67.  On  24  April  1809,  it  was  voted,  and  the 
twenty-five  names  of  the  voters  were  recorded, 
that  "the  church  shall  be  set,  not  to  exceed  four 
rods  from  the  said  tree."  This  was  the  site  occu- 
pied by  the  present  church  edifice  (dedicated  i 
Feb.  1848,)  which  took  the  place  of  the  original 
building. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  67 

That  first  meeting  house  was  inclosed  by  the 
beginning  of  the  year  1810,  but  not  completed 
until  1828.  Supplies  were  furnished  this  "So- 
ciety," by  Presbytery,  once  in  three  months,  then 
more  frequently,  commencing  with  Rev.  Methu- 
selah Baldwin  on  fourth  Sabbath  in  May  1806. 
On  3  Sept.  1 810,  Rev.  Daniel  C.  Hopkins,  at  a 
meeting  called  for  the  purpose,  began  the  organi- 
zation of  the  "  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  White 
Lake,"  by  the  reception  on  confession  of  'their 
faith  in  Christ  of  eleven  persons,  who  then  pro- 
ceeded to  ele6l  John  Sherwood  and  Abner  Hollister 
to  the  office  of  Ruling  Elder.  Rev.  Henry  Ford 
was  appointed  ' '  to  complete  the  organization  by 
ordaining  the  elders  and  administering  the  Lord's 
Supper,"  at  White  Lake  on  2  Dec.  1810.  The  old' 
' '  Session  Book ' '  shows  that  this  duty  was  per- 
formed. The  Lord's  Supper  was  on  that  day  first 
administered  to  the  thirteen  members  of  the  infant 
church,  the  newly  constituted  Session  having  re- 
ceived two  others  on  examination.  For  twenty 
years  this  church  was  composed  of  New  England 
Congregationalists  almost  exclusively.  It  was  sup- 
plied by  Presbytery  from  time  to  time,  until  1820, 
when  Rev.  John  Boyd  of  Monticello  spent  "one- 
half  his  time  ' '  here. 

28.  BETHANY.— As  early  as  1805,  there  had 
been  occasional  preaching  in  Bethany  by  Metho- 
dist, Baptist,  Presbyterian  and  Congregational 
ministers.  In  1806-7,  Blder  Peck  of  Mount 
Pleasant,     visited     there     once     a     month,     and 


68  HISTORY   OF 

in  Jan.  1809,  lie  administered  the  Lord's 
Supper  for  the  first  time  in  the  town.  On 
10  Sept.  1 810,  three  lots  of  the  town  plot 
were  conveyed  to  Trustees  as  a  site  for  a  house  of 
worship  and  for  a  burying  ground,  for  the  use  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Bethany.  On  26  May 
1 81 3,  after  a  year's  services,  Rev.  Worthington 
Wright  of  the  "Conn.  Miss.  Society,"  was  in- 
stalled and  served  them  for  two  years.  By  reason 
of  personal  and  domestic  afiliction  he  relin- 
quished the  ministr>^  After  three  years  an  effort 
was  made  to  call  Rev.  Gershom  Williams, 
but  without  success.  On  26  July  1818,  Rev. 
Phinehas  Camp  began  to  labor  there  assisted  by 
Rev.  Gideon  N.  Judd,  their  joint  labors  resulting 
in  several  additions  to  the  church.  On  22  Sept. 
1818,  by  Mr.  Camp's  advice,  the  "First  Presb3^te- 
rian  Church  of  Bethany, ' '  was  organized  with  eleven 
members,  to  whom  nineteen  more  were  added  a 
few  days  later.  On  the  27th,  he  administered 
the  Lord's  Snpper,  and  the  next  day  his 
two  months'  appointment  as  missionary  hav- 
ing expired,  he  took  his  leave,  f  On  9 
June  1 81 9,  a  supply  was  sent  them,  and  on  8 
Sept.  they  were  taken  under  the  care  of  Presby- 
tery. On  23  Oct.  they  had  leave  to  prosecute  a 
call  for  the  Rev.  Gershom  Williams,  before  the 
"  Presbytery  of  Jersey,"  and  on  23  Feb.  1820,  he 
was  installed.* 


*  Hist.  Wa3aie  Co.,  Pa.,  and  Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  iv,  p.  156. 
t  Min.  Gen.  Assembly,  181 8,  p.  57. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

ANALYSIS  OF  THE  SECOND  PERIOD. — EXPANSION 
OF  TERRITORY. — INCREASE  OF  MINISTERS  AND 
OF  CHURCHES. — EVIDENCES  OF  A  DEEP  SENSE 
OF  RESPONSIBII.ITY  AS  A  COURT  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

PROBABLE     NUMBER     OF      MEMBERS     IN     THE 

CHURCHES. 

This  second  period  brings  the  History  of  Presby- 
tery to  the  23  Oct.  1 81 9.  Its  territory  had  extended 
northward  to  Cohimbia  County  on  the  east  of  the 
Hudson,  and  beyond  the  Shawangunk  Mountains 
into  Pennsylvania  on  the  west.  Its  roll  of  minis- 
ters had  increased  from  eight  to  twenty-five,  and  of 
the  original  eight,  Methuselah  Baldwin  at  Scotch- 
town,  alone  survived.  To  its  sixteen  churches 
twenty-eight  had  been  added.  Warwick  had  be- 
come Reformed  Dutch  ;  Union  or  South-Kast  had 
become  Congregational  ;  Franklin  was  changed  to 
Patterson,  Rumbout  to  Fishkill,  and  Wallkill  to 
Goodwill  ;  while  New  Town,  in  the  joy  of  nearer 
Presbyterial  relationship,  had  forgotten  that  this 
Presbytery  had  been  asked  to  care  for  it,  leaving 
FORTY-ONE  CHURCHES  on  the  roll. 

Surely  if  church-extension  is  evidence  of  Pres- 
byterial vigor,  the  vigor  of  this  body  was  amply 
demonstrated  in  the  addition  of  a  new  organization 
in  each  year.       The  hopefulness  with  which  this 

(69) 


70  HISTORY   OF 

period  opened  was  justified  by  this  state  of  things 
at  its  close. 

In  reviewing  the  records  of  this  period  the  im- 
pression is  unavoidable  that  this  Presbytery  ever 
acted  under  A  LOFTY  SENSE  OF  ITS  RE- 
SPONSIBILITY as  a  court  of  the  church  of 
Christ.     This  is  apparent, 

First — In  the  jealous  guardianship  of  the  moral 
and  ministerial  character  of  its  members. 

When  in  April  1800,  Mr.  Benjamin  Prime  asked 
Presbytery  to  receive  him  as  a  licentiate,  the 
record  says  ' '  his  testimonials  were  by  no  means 
satisfactory,"  and  he  was  not  received.  On 
2  Sept.,  he  came  again  with  a  certificate  from  the 
' '  South  Association  of  Litchfield, ' '  and  renewed 
his  application  ;  but  failed  again  because  ' '  his  cer- 
tificate was  not  satisfactory."  On  21  April  1801, 
he  came  with  fresh  testimonials,  and  was  at  last 
received,  as  a  licentiate.  (Mr.  Prime  was  after- 
ward supply  at  Amity  and  Warwick,  and  on  29 
June  1803,  was  ordained  and  installed  at  Deer 
Park.) 

When  in  1808,  Rev.  Josiah  Henderson,  then  teach- 
ing in  New  York  City,  was  suffering  under  certain 
charges  against  his  moral  character.  Presbytery,  at 
his  request,  appointed  a  committee  of  three  minis- 
ters and  three  elders  to  go  to  the  city  and  investi- 
gate the  charges.  They  did  so,  and  at  a  meeting 
in  June  presented  their  report,  in  which  they 
showed  the  charges  to  be  malicious  and  completely 
exonerated  Mr.  Henderson. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  7 1 

When  in  1811,  a  pastor  was  accused  of 
the  crime  of  adultery,  a  special  meeting 
of  Presbytery  was  called  in  his  church,  a 
letter  from  him  in  which  he  admitted  his 
guilt,  was  read,  and  he  was  deposed  from  the 
office  of  the  ministry.  Four  years  later,  after  the 
most  earnest  protestations  of  penitence  on  his  part, 
and  with  prayerful  deliberation  on  the  part  of 
Presbytery,'  he  was  absolved  from  the  sentence  of 
deposition  and  restored  to  the  office  of  an  ordained 
minister  of  the  Gospel. 

When  on  28  Jan.  181 2,  Mr.  William  Rafferty 
first  appeared  in  Presbytery,  he  presented  a  certifi- 
cate of  licensure  from  the  "  Presbytery^  of  Mun- 
ster,  "Id.  ;  a  transfer  to  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Root, 
Id.  ;  "  a  diploma  from  the  college  of  Glasgow, 
Scotland  ;  several  letters  of  recommendation  from 
respectable  clergymen,  and  a  general  recommenda- 
tion from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  ^Root, ' '  to  the  Pres- 
byterian churches  of  America  ;  and  these  were 
considered  satisfactory.  He  was  then  examined 
on  Experimental  Religion,  the  lycarned  Ivan- 
guages,  the  Arts  and  Sciences  and  Theology.  He 
adopted  our  standards  of  doctrine  and  discipline, 
and  promised  subjection  to  the  Presbytery  in  the 
Lord  :  and  was  then  received  as  a  licentiate  on  pro- 
bation, with  leave  to  labor  in  Blooming  Grove,  and 
with  instructions  to  appear  for  further  examination 
in  April. 

On  26  Jan.  181 3,  Mr.  Rafferty  was  directed  to 
deliver  a  sermon  that  evening  from  Matt,  xxviii  :  6. 


72  HISTORY   OF 


( ( 


He  is  not  here  :  for  he  has  risen,  as  he  said." 
His  examination  was  continued,  and  he  was  directed 
to  prepare  and  deliver  at  the  next  stated  meeting 
discourses  from  Ps.  Ixvi  :  i6,  and  from  Rom. 
ix  :   i8. 

On  20  April  181 3,  he  preached  one  of  these  dis- 
courses, and  the  next  day  the  other,  and  both 
were  sustained  as  parts  of  trial  for  licensure.  Then 
the  record  says  :  "After  having  kept  Mr.  Rafferty 
on  trial  for  fourteen  months,  and  after  being  satis- 
fied with  his  performance  of  the  parts  of  trial 
assigned  him,  Resolved  :  That  Presbytery  apply  to 
General  Assembly  for  liberty  to  receive  him  in  the 
standing  of  a  licentiate," 

Another  special  meeting  was  held  22  June,  at 
Blooming  Grove.  A  call  frojn  that  church  upon 
Mr.  Rafferty,  had  been  laid  before  Presbytery  in 
April,  "  the  General  Assembly  had  granted  leave 
to  ordain,"  the  church  requested  Presbytery  to 
ordain  without  installing,  and  after  much  delibera- 
^tion  he  was  ordained  ^^  sme  titulo.^^  Here  were 
sixteen  months  of  probation,  three  special  meet- 
ings, three  trial  sermons,  with  full  examinations, 
and  no  fewer  than  nineteen  pages  of  the  record 
J:aken  up  with  this  case. 

On  28  June  1815,  Mr.  Ahab  Jenks  appeared  in 
Presbytery  and  requested  to  be  received  as  a  mem- 
ber. His  credentials  were  examined  and  after  de- 
liberate consideration  Presbytery  resolved  that  his 
request  could  not  be  granted.  Their  reason  is 
given  in  these  words  :   "  The  body  that  professed  to 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  73 

license  and  ordain  Mr.  Jenks,  gave  no  evidence 
that  they  had  themselves  received  ordination,  but 
were  a  self-created  body  consisting  of  Separatists, 
holding  to  lay  ordination  and  a  disorderly  congre- 
gational ministry,  and  had  no  connection  with  any 
regular  body  of  Christians."*  The  next  day  Mr. 
Jenks  declared  his  renunciation  of  all  claims  to  be 
acknowledged  an  ordained  minister  and  requested  to 
be  taken  under  the  care  of  Presbytery  with  a  view 
to  a  regular  introduction  to  the  work  of  the  Gospel 
Ministry.  His  request  was  granted,  and  after 
satisfactory  examinations  and  performance  of  the 
parts  of  trial,  he  was  duly  licensed.  That  Presby- 
tery ever  acted  under  a  lofty  sense  of  its  responsi- 
bility is  evident. 

Secondly — In  devotion  to  the  interests  of  the 
churches  intrusted  to  its  care.  Their  experience 
with  the  Church  of  Bethlehem  and  Rev.  Joel  T. 
Benedict,  of  ' '  Morris  County  Presbytery, ' '  extend- 
ing from  1803  to  Oct.  1806,  involving  a  censure 
from  Synod,  and  the  issue  of  a  letter  of  instructions 
to  all  the  vacant  churches,  has  already  been  refer- 
red to.  Their  admonitory  letters  to  the  Franklin 
Church  in  1804  and  1805,  respecting  the  irregular- 
ity of  employing  a  foreign  minister,  without  the 
consent  of  Presbytery,  is  another  instance.  A  most 
kindly  and  yet  dignified  letter,  covering  three 
pages  of  the  record,  addressed  to  the  Church  of 
Warwick,  5  Sept.  1804,  on  their  contemplated  in- 


*  Min.  of  Presb,     Vol.  iii,  p.  202, 


74  HISTORY   OF 

formal  departure  to  the  embrace  of  Classis,  is  an 
admirable  exhibition  of  paternal  solicitude  ;  re- 
minding one  of  Hosea's  plaintive  appeal  (xi:8), 
"How  shall  I  give  thee  up  Bphraim?"  And 
most  remarkable  of  all  is  their  patient  firmness  in 
resisting  the  determination  of  a  majority  of  the 
people  of  Goodwill  to  have  Rev.  William  Gray  of 
the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New  York, ' '  settled  as  their 
pastor.  What  is  finer  than  the  reply  to  a  com- 
mittee from  the  "New  York  Presbytery,"  sent  to 
ask  further  information  on  the  subject  which  for 
over  two  years  had  agitated  that  church  and  both 
Presbyteries?  Said  committee  consisted  of  Rev. 
Gardiner  Spring,  of  the  Brick  Church,  N.  Y. ,  and 
Rev.  Alexander  McClelland,  of  Rutgers  Street 
Church,  New  York.  A  committee  was  appointed 
to  confer  with  them. ,.  After  a  recess  that  committee 
reported,  and  Presbytery,  Resolved  :  ' '  That  we 
have  no  further  official  information  to  communicate 
on  the  above  subject." 

This    consciousness    of    weighty    responsibility 
appears. 

Thirdly — In  the  frequent  and  patient  hearing  of 
appeals,  complaints  and  references  from  Churches, 
Sessions  and  individuals.  There  are  many  cases 
in  which  a  Session  asked  leave  to  excommunicate 
a  church  member.  And  before  granting  leave, 
Presbytery  would  patiently  review  all  the  evidence. 
It  appears 

Fourth — In  an  absence  of  subserviency  to  any 
authority,   which   might   be    supposed    to  lighten 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  75 

this  responsibility.  While  the  overtures  of  Synod 
and  General  Assembly  were  usually  approved  and 
adopted,  there  is  one  instance  in  1811,  in  which 
Presbyter}^  unanimously  resolved,  that  the  rule 
proposed  by  the  Assembly,  requiring  the  consent 
of  Synod  or  of  Assembly  before  proceeding  to  or- 
dain, sine  titulo^  ' '  is  unnecessary  and  improper,  as 
it  would  be  an  infringement  on  the  rights  of 
Presbytery. ' '  f 

Fifth — But  this  sense  of  responsibility  is  most 
of  all  evident,  in  an  Absorbing  Devotion  to  the 
Great  Object  of  its  High  Calling  ;  which  was  to 
' '  Preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature. ' '  While 
the  theme  of  Missions  has  been  the  inspiration  of 
the  whole  Christian  church  for  the  last  hundred 
years,  it  is  peculiarly  gratifying  to  find  the  Spirit 
of  Missions  prompting  the  official  a6ls  of  this  Pres- 
bytery from  the  beginning.  It  came  into  being  at 
the  very  time  apparently,  when  ' '  the  angel  having 
the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  unto  them  that 
dwell  on  the  earth  and  to  every  nation  and  kindred 
and  tongue  and  people, "  "  followed  by  another 
angel  saying  Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen,"*  began 
his  flight  in  the  midst  of  heaven.  John  looked 
from  Patmos  toward  the  setting  sun  as  well  as  to- 
ward the  end  of  the  days,  when  he  saw  that  vision. 
The  one  wing  of  the  angel  fanned  the  missionary- 
zeal  of  the  church  in  the  Old  world,  while  the  other 
kindled  the  same   Christlike  consecration   in   the 


t  Mill,  of  Presb.     Vol.  11,  p.  321. 
*  Rev.  xiv  :  6,  8. 


76  HISTORY   OF 

New.  Three  Missionary  Societies  which  have 
since  reached  the  ends  of  the  earth  were  organized 
in  Europe,  t  and  numerous  Missionary  Societies 
commenced  their  beneficent  career  in  the  New 
world,  just  as  Napoleon's  humiliation  of  the  papal 
power  in  1796,  seemed  to  awaken  the  cry  of  the 
other  angel,  ' '  Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen  !  ' '  Old 
world  organizations  found  their  work  abroad  ; 
those  of  the  New  world  were  themselves  abroad 
and  their  work  was  all  around  them.  They  took 
it  up  promptly.  The  Presbytery  was  itself  a  Mis- 
sionary Society,  and  as  it  rose  to  a  higher  plane  its 
horizon  extended  and  its  field  constantly  enlarged. 

The  germs  of  present  methods  of  church  work 
are  found  pu.shing  into  notice. 

Before  the  sun  set  upon  its  first  session,  it  gave 
life  to  the  church  under  whose  roof  it  had  itself 
but  just  been  born  ;  and  before  meridian  on  the 
morrow  the  resolution  of  the  Synod  of  1789,  was 
ordered  into  execution,  "requiring  annual  collec- 
tions in  all  the  churches  whether  vacant  or  not,  for 
commissioner's  fund,  for  missionaries  and  for  poor 
students  in  divinity. ' '  That  day  £^  were  paid  into 
the  treasury,  of  which  "^2.  6s.  8d.  were  for  support- 
ing Missionaries  on  the  frontier. ' '  And  the  frontier 
then  was  (on  and  over)  the  Shawangunk  Moun- 
tains ! 

In  1798,  the  collections  had  amounted  to  ^80. 
15s.    9d.  ;    in    1809,    to    $496.12^  ;   in   181 2,    to 


t  Church  Missionary  Society.     London  Miss.  Society,      Baptist 
Miss.  Society. 


HUDSON   PRKSBYTKRY.  "]"] 

$933.58,  and  at  the  end  of  the  demoralizing 
war  with  Great  Britain,  in  1815,  the  treas- 
urer reported  the  total  received  from  the 
churches  since  his  last  report  as  $1,015.74.  In 
this  year  1815,  the  principle  of  Systematic 
Beneficence  was  further  developed  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  ' '  Female  Cent  Societies, ' '  in  the 
churches  of  New  Paltz  and  Milton  and  others.  One 
sent  $7,  and  the  other  $7.53  with  a  letter  to  Pres- 
bytery requesting  its  appropriation  ' '  in  support  of 
students  for  the  ministry."  The  organization  of 
these  Societies  is  made  a  matter  for  special  and 
grateful  recognition  in  the  Narrative  for  that  year, 
and  a  circular  letter  was  adopted  and  one  hundred 
copies  printed,  addressed  "to  all  the  Female  Cent 
Societies"  in  the  bounds  of  Presbytery.  In  1817, 
the  Cent  Society  of  New  Paltz  forwarded  $11.08 
with  a  request  that  it  be  appropriated  to  the  assist- 
ance of  William  Timlow,  which  was  done.  And 
in  1 81 9,  Mr.  Fisk  was  appointed  to  draft  another 
letter  for  the  encouragement  of  this  form  of  Syste- 
matic Beneficence. 

The  importance  of  the  publication  and  circu- 
lation OF  religious  literature  was  early 
recognized.  In  1803,  Presbytery  resolved  to  print 
"  Vincent  on  the  Shorter  Catechism,"  and  "  Les- 
lie's Short  and  Easy  Method  with  the  Deists." 
Bach  pastor,  and  the  elders  or  trustees  of  each 
vacant  church,  were  "required"  to  take  subscrip- 
tions. In  1805,  a  thousand  copies  at  fifty  cents  a 
copy  had  been  subscribed  for,  and  Rev.   Andrew 


78  HISTORY   OF 

King  was  appointed  ' '  committee  on  printing. ' '  In 
1806,  he  annonnced  the  books  ready  for  distribu- 
tion ;  and  in  April  18 10,  he  reported  them  all 
distributed.  The  Moderator  was  directed  to  pre- 
sent the  thanks  of  Presbytery  to  Mr.  King  for  the 
faithful  performance  of  this  duty. 

No  sooner  was  this  done  than  steps  were  taken 
to  promote  the  circulation  of  the  Bible.  A  com- 
mittee was  appointed  in  "  Wallkill  Church  "  April 
1810,  which  reported  in  Sept.  that  "it  is  of  im- 
portance that  the  Presbytery  be  formed  into  a 
society  for  that  purpose."  The  committee  was 
continued  and  instructed  to  report  a  plan  in 
November  :  but  it  was  not  until  April  181 1,  that 
the  draft  of  a  "  Constitution  for  a  Bible  Society" 
was  presented  and  approved.  ' '  The  members  of 
Presbytery  were  recommended  to  take  effectual 
measures  for  the  establishment  of  a  society  agree- 
ably to  said  constitution,  on  each  side  of  the 
Hudson." 

From  other  sources  we  learn  that  Rev.  Andrew 
King,  pastor  of  the  Wallkill  Church,  was  the  first 
President  of  the  Society  so  formed,  "on  this  side 
of  the  Hudson  ; ' '  and  it  is  no  presumption  to  con- 
clude tliat  members  of  this  Presbyter)^^  were  at  least 
among  those  who  ' '  took  effectual  measures  for  the 
establishment"  five  years  later,  in  1816,  of  the 
societ}^  ' '  on  the  other  side  of  the  Hudson. ' '  The 
older  one  was  called  the  "  Orange  County  Bible 
Society  "  and  the  younger  the  "  American  Bible 
Society." 


HUDSON    PRKSBYTERY.  79 

The  cause  of  MINISTERIAL  EDUCATION,  se- 
cured a  standing  order  for  regular  annual  collections 
at  the  ver}^  first  meeting.  The  greatest  pains  was 
taj^en  to  provide  for  the  thorough  instruction  of 
candidates  by  pastors  designated  for  the  purpose  ; 
and  the  methods  of  the  ' '  Associated  Presbyteries  ' ' 
were  sternly  discountenanced. 

When,  in  1809,  the  General  Assembly  submitted 
to  a  vote  of  the  Presbyteries,  plans  for  a  theolo- 
gical school  ;  this  Presbytery  in  Sept.  appointed 
a  committee  of  six  ministers  to  consider  and  report 
on  the  subject  in  April.  They  reported  against  all 
the  plans,  and  gave  seven  reasons  for  their  action. 
I.  The  Assembly  had  failed  fully  to  recognize 
the  right  of  Presbytery  to  judge  whether  they 
should  countenance  such  an  institution  at  all,  by 
asking  them  to  decide  on  one  of  three  plans.  2. 
Such  a  school  would  make  the  progress  of  poor 
and  pious  young  men  more  difficult.  3.  There 
would  be  a  lack  of  funds  to  make  it  what  such  a 
school  should  be.  4.  If  all  students  for  the 
ministry  were  not  required  to  attend,  the  school 
would  lack  for  patronage  ;  and  if  they  were  re- 
quired to  attend  it  would  lessen  their  number.  5. 
The  selection  of  professors  would  awaken  jealousy 
and  stir  up  strife.  6.  A  somewhat  similar  at- 
tempt, at  Princeton,  had  already  failed  of  the  ex- 
pected success  ;  and  7.  There  were  already  semi- 
naries enough  for  all  v/ho  wanted  to  go.  And  this 
report  was  adopted. 


8o  HISTORY   OF 

The  institution  was  however  duly  established  at 
Princeton  in  1812  ;  and  notwithstanding  their 
vote,  this  Presbytery  gave  it  their  cordial  sympathy 
and  continued  support.  In  181 3,  they  Resolved  : 
' '  that  it  was  the  duty  of  ever}'  member  of  Presby- 
ter>^  to  publically  urge  the  necessity  and  import- 
ance of  contributing  to  it,  and  to  open  subscriptions 
for  it."  The  next  year  this  injunction  was  re- 
peated ;  and  in  1819,  the  churches  were  recom- 
mended to  endow  a  vScholarship  in  the  name  of  the 
Presb}'ter}',  which  scheme  however  was  not  a 
success. 

This  Presbytery  also  took  very  decided  ground 
on  the  subject  of  PUBI.IC  morals.  Kver\'  narrative, 
while  rejoicing  in  tokens  of  God's  gracious  visita- 
tions, bemoans  the  extended  prevalence  of  social 
evils.  In  18 14,  one  hundred  copies  of  the  Assem- 
bly's petition  to  Congress  for  legislation  against 
Sabbath  desecration  were  ordered  printed  and  dis- 
tributed for  signatures. 

In  18 1 5,  the  formation  of  societies  was  urged 
"for  the  promotion  of  public  virtue  and  social 
order,  and  for  the  suppression  of  vice  and  immoral- 
ity, especially  intemperance,  profanity.  Sabbath 
breaking  and  gambling."  Committees  were  ap- 
pointed to  act  on  each  side  of  the  Hudson,  and 
' '  Christian  brethren  of  other  denominations  were 
invited*  to  unite  with  them  in  this  important 
measure."  They  highly  approved  and  recom- 
mended to  the  attention  of  the  pastors  and  Ses- 
sions, the  injunction  of  the  General  Assembly  in 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  8 1 

1818,  which  declared  it  "manifestly  the  duty  of 
all  Christians  to  use  their  earnCvSt  endeavors  to 
obtain  the  complete  abolition  of  slavery  through- 
out Christendom  and  throughout  the  world." 

But  the  one  great  absorbing  interest  of  the 
Presbytery  during  this  perod  was  the  "preaching 
of  the  gospel,"  to  the  ever-increasing  population. 
In  1795,  the  great  question  was,  how  shall  eight 
ministers  preach  to  sixteen  churches,  and  in  181 9, 
it  was  how  shall  twenty-five  ministers  supply  forty 
churches  ?  Many  pages  of  the  record  are  taken  up 
with  lists  of  supplies  for  from  eight  to  sixteen 
vacant  pulpits,  and  these  supplies  were  necessarily 
taken  from  the  pastors. 

In  addition  to  this,  some  of  these  same  pastors 
took  commissions  to  act  as  missionaries  from  two 
weeks  to  three  months  on  the  frontier,  others 
supplying  their  pulpits,  while  they  "preached  the 
gospel  in  the  regions  beyond." 

Unfortunately  it  was  not  until  Sept.  1800,  that 
Sessions  were  required  to  report  the  number  of 
communicants  and  the  number  of  baptisms.  This 
injunction  was  repeated  every  year  for  four  years 
before  any  scliedule  of  membership  was  recorded. 
On  I  Jan.  1805,  ten  churches  out  of  sixteen  re- 
ported 725  members.  In  1819,  twenty-two 
churches  out  of  forty  reported  2,858.  But  neither 
of  these  reports  include  Wallkill,  which  in  1811, 
had  134  members  ;  and  sixteen  other  churches 
not   reporting    in    181 9,   had    each    from    ten    to 


82  HISTORY   OF 

one  hundred  communicants,  so  that  at  a  moder- 
ate estimate,  there  could  not  have  been  fewer 
than  3,500  communicants  at  the  close  of  this 
period. 


III.    PERIOD  OF  DIVISION. 

1819 — 1840. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

KARLYg ATTEMPTS  TO  DIVIDE  THE  PRESBYTERY. — 
THE  ACTUAI.  DIVISION. — ROLL  OF  THE  NORTH 
RIVER  PRESBYTERY. — ROLL  OF  THE  HUDSON 
PRESBYTERY. 

In. April  1812,  a  motion  to  ask  the  Synod  to 
divide  the  Presbytery  was  considered  and  laid  over 
until  the  next  meeting.  In  Sept.  it  was  again 
discussed,  but  no  action  was  taken  except  to  post- 
pone. During  the  agitation  consequent  on  the  war 
with  Great  Britain,  the  matter  was  in  abeyance. 

In  Sept.  1 81 6,  application  was  made  to  Synod, 
proposing  that  eight  ministers  and  all  the  churches 
east  of  the  River  should  be  called  the  Presbytery 
of  Hudson,  without  suggesting  a  name  for  the 
division  on  the  west  side.  This  application  how- 
ever, was  withdrawn  the  next  year. 

On  9  Sept.  1819,  it  was  Resolved  :  "That  appli- 
cation be  made  to  the  Synod  at  their  next  session 
to  divide  this  Presbytery,  and  that  the  members  on 
the  east  of  the  Hudson,  together  with  Messrs. 
Picton,  Johnson  and  Ostrom,  and  the  congregations 

(83) 


84  HISTORY   OF 

of  Newburgh,  Marlborough,  New  Paltz  and  Pleas- 
ant Valley  (west),  be  formed  into  a  new  Presbytery 
to  be  called  '  Duchess. '  A  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  make  a  division  of  the  books,  papers 
and  moneys  of  Presbytery,  at  their  session  during 
the  intervals  of  Synod. ' ' 

On  23  Oct.  1819,  at  Elizabeth  Town,  N.  J.,  it 
was  Resolved  :  ' '  That  application  be  made  to  the 
Synod,  now  in  session,  to  divide  the  Presbytery  of 
Hudson  so  that  the 

Rev.  John  Clark,  Rev.  Eliphalet  Price, 

"     Joshua  Spaulding,      "     Joel  Osborn, 
"     Bbenezer  Grant,         "     James  I.  Ostrom, 
"     Thomas  Picton,  "     Daniel  Crane, 

"     John  Johnston,  "     Robert  G.  Armstrong 

"     Eli  Hyde, 
including  the  congregations  of 
New  Windsor,  Salem, 

Newburgh,  Yorktown, 

Marlborough,  Pine  Plains, 

New  Paltz,  Amenia,  North, 

Pleasant  Valley  (west),     Amenia,  South, 
Pittsburgh,  Smithfield, 

Wappings  Creek,  Pleasant  Valley, 

Fishkill,  Bedford, 

Patterson,  Poughkeepsie, 

be  constituted  a  new  Presbytery  to  be  known  by  the 
name  of  the  '  Presbytery  of  North  River, '  and  that 
their  first  meeting  be  held  at  Patterson,  on  the  first 
Wednesday  in  November,  at  three  o'clock,  p.  M., 
and  the  Rev.  Mr.    Spaulding,   or,    in  case   of  his 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY. 


85 


absence,  the  Senior  Minister  present,  preach  and 
preside  till  a  Moderator  be  chosen. ' ' 

The  Synod  granted  the  application,  and  the 
Presbytery  of  Hudson  adjourned  to  meet  at  Bloom- 
ing Grove  on  the  third  Tuesday  in  November, 
1819,  at  II  o'clock,  A.  M. 

The  Presbytery  of  Hudson,  thus  diminished  in 
number  and  contracted  in  its  territory,  consisted 
of  the  following  ministers  and  churches  : 
William  Timlow,  pastor,  .    .  Amity. 

Bethany,    vacant. 

Bethlehem. 

Blooming  Grove. 

Chester. 

Cochecton,  vacant. 

Deer  Park. 

Ridgebury. 

Florida. 

Goodwill,  vacant. 

Ezra  Fisk,  pastor Goshen. 

Andrew  Thompson,  pastor,  .  Greenbush. 

Samuel  Pelton,  pastor,     . 


Artemas  Dean,  pastor,  .    . 
Luther  Halsey,       " 
James  H.  Thomas,  pastor, 

William  Bain,  pastor,  .     . 
Charles  Cummins,   pastor. 


Isaac  Van  Doren,  pastor 


Haverstraw. 

New  Hempstead. 

Hopewell. 

Liberty,  vacant. 

Monticello,  vacant. 

Nyack,  vacant. 
Methuselah  Baldwin,  pastor,   Scotchtown. 
Thomas  Grier,  pastor,  .    .    .  Westtown. 

White  Lake,  vacant 


86  HISTORY   OF 

Benjamin  Prime,  without  charge. 
Jacob   Burbank. 

Of  these  ministers,  twelve  were  pastors,  and  of 
the  churches  seven  were  vacant. 

The  committee  appointed  to  make  an  equitable 
division  of  the  property  held  by  the  undivided 
body,  reported  recommending  ' '  That  the  new 
Presbytery  have  the  money  in  the  Presbyterial 
fund,  and  the  money  in  the  Missionary  fund,  and 
that  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson  retain  the  books, 
papers  and  money  in  the  Education  fund." 


CHAPTER  VIIL 

SKETCHES  OF  THE  CHURCHES,  CONTINUED. 

1.  AMITY. — The  church  of  Amity  enjoyed  the 
services  of  Rev.  William  Timlow,  without  inter- 
ruption during  this  entire  period. 

2.  BETHANY.— On  23  Feb.  1820,  Rev.  Ger- 
shom  Williams  was  received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery 
of  Jersey"  and  installed  at  Bethany,  Wayne  Co., 
Pa.  On  5  Sept.  1821,  charges  impeaching  the  moral 
character  of  Mr.  Williams  were  presented  before 
Presbytery.  It  was  resolved  ' '  to  institute  an  im- 
mediate inquiry,"  and  after  issuing  citations  to 
Mr.  Williams  and  to  the  witnesses,  Presbytery 
adjourned  to  meet  in  Bethany  on  the  19th  inst. 
Mr.  Williams  was,  on  the  request  of  the  congre- 
gation released  from  his  pastoral  relation  to  them 
on  the  7th.  The  charges  being  substantiated  on 
the  trial,  Mr.  Williams  was  deposed  from  the  Office 
of  the  Ministry.  In  October  the  Synod  having 
declared  ' '  it  the  prerogative  of  a  Presbytery  to 
excommunicate  a  minister  whom  they  had  de- 
posed, '  '•  it  was  resolved  :  ' '  That  Gershom  Williams 
be  and  hereby  is  excommunicated  from  the  Church 
of  Christ."  Fifteen  years  later,  Mr.  Williams 
requested  "to  be  restored  to  the  functions  of  the 
ministry."  A  committee  was  appointed  to  visit 
the  places  where  he  had  resided  and  to  ascertain 

(87) 


88  HISTORY   OF 

his  standing  in  the  estimation  of  those  who  knew 
him.  On  the  report  of  this  committee,  8  Nov. 
1836,  the  Presbytery  restored  Mr.  Williams  "to 
the  communion  of  the  church,  and  to  the  office 
and  work  of  the  Gospel  Ministry." 

On  10  July  1828,  Rev.  Joel  Campbell  was  re- 
ceived from  the  "  Presbytery  of  Newark,"  and  in- 
stalled at  Bethany,  where  he  continued  until  on 
17  Oct.  1832,  the  church  was  transferred  and 
he  was  dismissed  to  the  "  Presbytery  of  Sus- 
quehanna. ' ' 

3.  BETHLEHEM.— This  church  enjoyed  the 
uninterrupted  pastorate  of  Rev.  Artemus  Dean 
this  entire  period. 

4.  BLOOMING  GROVE.— The  pastoral  rela- 
tion of  Rev.  IvUther  Halsey  at  Blooming  Grove, 
beginning  7  Aug.  1816,  continued  until  on  21 
April  1824,  it  was  dissolved,  and  "the  congrega- 
tion was  declared  vacant."  On  20  April  1825, 
Rev.  James  Arbuckle,  having  previously  been  re- 
ceived from  the  ' '  Second  Presbytery  of  Philadel- 
phia," was  duly  installed.  On  18  April  1833,  he 
was  reported  to  Presbytery  as  justly  chargeable 
with  "Heresy  and  Schism." 

A  committee,  appointed  to  wait  on  him  re- 
parted,  15  May,  that  in  their  opinion  the  charges 
were  well  founded.  Mr.  Arbuckle  and  a  number 
of  witnesses,  were  accordingly  cited  to  appear  be- 
fore the  Presbytery  on  the  25  June,  at  11  o'clock, 
A.  M.,  in  the  church  at  Goshen.  There  were  five 
charges  of  Heresy  with  six  specifications,  and  one 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  89 

charge  of  Schism.  These  were  placed  in  his 
hands.  He  declined  answering  any  qnestion  what- 
ever. Presbytery  accordingly  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  conduct  the  prosecution,  and  cited  all 
parties  "  to  appear  in  the  same  place  on  23  July 
next  at  II  o'clock,  A.  m.,  to  proceed  with  the 
trial."  Presbytery  convened  agreeably  to  adjourn- 
ment. There  were  sixteen  ministers  and  thirteen 
elders  present.  When  asked  whether  he  was 
"  guilty  or  not  guilty,"  Mr.  Arbuckle  said,  "As 
this  is  a  matter  of  your  own  institution,  and  your 
own  seeking,  I  shall  be  entirely  passive  in  this 
business."  Eleven  witnesses  for  the  prosecution 
were  examined.  Mr.  Arbuckle  ' '  declined  introduc- 
ing any  testimony. "  "  The  Moderator  Rev. 
Charles  Cummins,  D.D.,  repeatedly  called  him  to 
order  for  irrelevant  and  disrespectful  language  and 
violation  of  the  rules  of  the  house."  At  length 
he  took  his  hat  and  saying, — "Mr.  Moderator,  I 
now  bid  to  you,  and  through  you  to  this  Presbytery 
as  such,  a  final,  but  respectful  and  affectionate 
farewell  !  " — left  the  house.*  After  the  usual  sum- 
ming up  and  calling  of  the  roll  he  was  found  guily 
on  every  charge,  and  Presbytery  by  a  unanimous 
vote  Resolved  :  ' '  That  Rev.  James  Arbuckle  be, 
and  hereby  is  suspended  from  the  exercise  of  the 
ministerial  office."  On  11  September  a  commit- 
tee was  appointed  to  visit  Mr.  Arbuckle,  ascertain 
whether  he  had  conformed  to  or  defied  the  deci- 
sion of  Presbytery,  and  also  labor  to  bring  him  to 
repentance.      On  i  Oct.  1833,  this  committee  re- 


90  HISTORY   OF 

ported  that  Mr.  Arbuckle  declared  ' '  that  he  did  not 
regard  the  decision  of  Presbytery,  that  he  should 
continue  to  preach  and  administer  the  ordinances, 
and  that  he  was  more  confirmed  in  his  sentiments 
and  course  than  heretofore."  Presbytery  then 
unanimously  Resolved:  "That  the  Rev.  James 
Arbuckle  a  member  of  this  body  under  suspension 
for  Heresy,  ought  to  be  and  he  hereby  is  deposed  from 
the  office  of  the  Gospel  Ministry,  and  excommuni- 
cated from  the  church  :  and  the  congregation  of 
Blooming  Grove  is  declared  vacant,  "f  This  affair 
appears  to  have  terminated  the  relation  between 
the  church  of  Blooming  Grove  and  the  "Presby- 
tery of  Hudson." 

5.  CHESTER.— On  18  April  1827,  ^^v. 
James  H.  Thomas  was  released  from  the  pastoral 
charge  of  the  Church  of  Chester,  and  on  8  Jan.  fol- 
lowing he  was  dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of 
North  River."  On  18  July  1827,  Rev.  Daniel 
Crane  was  received  from  the  "  Presbytery  of  North 
River"  and  installed.  On  14  Sept.  1831,  his 
pastoral  relation  was  dissolved. 

On  II  Sept.  1833,  Rev.  John  B.  Fish  was  re- 
ceived from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Delaware, ' '  and 
on  10  Sept.  1834,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  "Pres- 
bytery of  North  River. ' ' 

The  local  history  states  that  Rev.  John  B.  Fish 
was  pastor  for  three  years  at  Chester  ;  but  there  is 
no  reference  in  the  minutes  of  Presbyter>^  to  any 

*  Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  vi,  p.  62. 
t  Ibid.,  p.  93. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  9I 

installation  nor  to  any  call  upon  Mr.  Fish.  While 
he  may  have  been  their  supply  for  a  time,  he  is 
referred  to  as  laboring  in  the  bounds  of  "North 
River  Presbytery,"  at  the  time  of  his  dismission. 
On  10  Nov.  1835,  the  Session  was  notified  of  the 
irregularity  of  ' '  employing  a  minister  to  labor 
statedly,  who  was  not  a  member  of  this  Presbytery ; 
and  that  a  continued  neglect  to  comply  with  the 
rules  must  be  considered  as  worthy  of  censure." 
In  April  following.  Rev.  Isaac  C.  Beach,  of  the 
"North  River  Presbytery"  appeared  and  assigned 
satisfactory  reasons,  why  he  and  the  Session  of 
Chester  Church  had  not  complied  with  the  rules  of 
Presbytery  :  and  they  "were  declared  free  from 
blame."  On  14  Sept.  Mr.  Beach  was  received, 
and  on  17  Nov.  1836,  he  was  installed  at  Chester. 

6.  COCHECTON.— The  church  of  Cochecton 
had  supplies  regularly  from  Presbytery,  but  no 
pastor  during  this  period.  On  16  March  1822, 
Rev.  John  Boyd  of  Monticello,  presided  at  the 
ordination  of  three  elders;  and  on  28  Dec.  1838, 
Rev.  Benjamin  VanKeuren  presided  at  the  ordin- 
ation of  three  more.  No  house  of  worship  was  as 
yet  erected. 

7.  DEER  PARK.— After  the  release  of  Rev. 
William  Blain  on  17  April  1822,  the  pulpit  of  Deer 
Park  Church  remained  vacant,  until,  with  consent 
of  Presbytery,  15  Sept.  1824,  M^-  Bdwin  Downer, 
a  licentiate  of  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Jersey ' '  was 
employed  as  Stated  Supply.  The  following  April, 
he  was  received  as  an  ordained  minister  from  the 


93  HISTORY  OF 

"  Presbytery  of  Elizabeth  to  wn, "  and  on  31  May 
1825,  ^^  w^^  installed.  On  22  Oct.  1828,  his 
pastoral  relation  was  dissolved.  On  14  Sept.  1831, 
Rev.  Sylvester  Sweezey  was  received  from  the 
"Congregational  Convention  of  Long  Island." 
Local  history  makes  him  pastor  of  Deer  Park 
Church  from  Oct.  1831,  to  April  1833;  but  there  is 
no  reference  to  any  such  relationship  on  the 
Records  of  Presbytery. 

On  3  July  1833,  Rev.  Andrew  Thompson  was 
installed  and  continued  there  as  pastor  until  his 
death,  27  Feb.  1838.  In  the  year  of  his  installa- 
tion, the  population  and  business  having  centred 
about  two  miles  from  the  church  and  glebe,  on  the 
new  turnpike,  a  majority  were  very  decided  in 
their  opinion  that  their  proposed  new  church  edifice 
should  be  eredled  at  that  point,  called  Mount  Hope. 
Their  views  prevailed.  The  church  was  built  in 
1834,  and  dedicated  in  1835.*  The  aggrieved 
minority,  21  April  1835,  sent  a  complaint  to  Pres- 
byter}^ in  which  they  ' '  styled  themselves  members 
of  the  First  Presbyterian  Society  of  Deer  Park." 
This  complaint  was  referred  to  a  committee  which 
reported  ' '  that  they  had  examined  the  same,  and 
while  they  regret  the  dissension  and  difficulty,  yet 
they  find  nothing  that  can  now  come  under  the 
direction  and  control  of  Presbytery. "  On  9  Sept. 
"a  petition  from  members  and  hearers  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Deer  Park,  was  received, 


*  Alsop  W.  Mapes. 


HUDSON    PRKSBYTKRY.  93 

asking  Presbytery  to  grant  them  supplies,  their 
minister  having  removed  his  ministrations  to  a  new- 
house  of  worship  ere6led  by  a  part  of  the  congre- 
gation." To  this  petition  Presbytery  replied  that 
' '  it  would  be  improper  to  appoint  supplies  for  one 
part  of  the  congregation  of  a  minister,  w^ho  still 
holds  the  official  relation  of  pastor,  notwithstanding 
he  preaches  in  another  house,  "t  This  portion  of 
the  congregation  then  withdrew,  feeling  that  they 
could  not  become  reconciled  to  the  change. 

On  the  II  June  1839,  Rev.  William  G.  John- 
stone was  received  from  the  "Second  Presbytery 
of  New  York,"  and  on  the  20th  inst.  he  was  in- 
stalled. 

8.  FLORIDA.— The  Rev.  Charles  Cummins 
continued  in  the  relation  of  pastor  to  the  Church 
of  Florida  until  30  April  1839,  when  the  line  of 
division  separating  the  Presbytery  into  two  distindl 
bodies,  was  drawn  between  pastor  and  people.  Mr. 
Cummins  requested  a  release,  in  which  the  congre- 
gation, for  technical  reasons  did  neither  concur  nor 
dissent. 

9.  GOODWILL.— The  unhappy  state  of  things 
which  had  existed  in  the  Goodwill  Church  since 
the  death  of  Rev.  Andrew  King,  in  18 15,  continued. 
On  20  April  1820,  Presbytery  appointed  another 
season  of  special  prayer  for  that  congregation, 
''recommending  that  ministers,  churches,  congre- 
gations and  individuals,  on  the  fifth  Sabbath  in 
May,  implore  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  to  pity 

t  Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  vi,  pps.  146,  148,  174  and  175. 


94  HISTORY   OF 

their  condition,  restore  harmony,  awaken  a  spirit 
of  prayer  and  longing  for  the  house  of  God,  settle 
•among  them  a  pastor  after  his  own  heart,  and  pour 
out  upon  them  largely  the  influences  of  his  Holy 
Spirit,  that  their  days  of  darkness  may  be  ended 
and  rejoicing  and  praise  be  heard  in  the  courts  of 
our  God."!  On  6  Sept.  following,  a  call  was  laid 
before  Presbytery  for  Mr.  Robert  W.  Condit,  a 
licentiate  of  the  "Presbytery  of  Jersey."  It  was 
found  in  order  but  Presbytery  cautiously  referred 
its  further  prosecution  to  the  Synod.  On  i8  Oct., 
the  Sy^iod  heard  the  record  of  Presbytery-  read,  and 
finding  no  reason  stated  for  the  reference,  returned 
it  to  the  Presbytery  ' '  to  give  their  reasons  if  they 
think  proper. ' '  Presbyter}^  said  ' '  that  a  large 
minority  that  had  voted  against  the  call,  suspected 
Presbytery  to  be  unfriendly  to  their  interests,  and 
that  they  believed  a  decision  of  Synod  would  be  for 
the  prosperity  of  the  Church  of  Goodwill,  and  they 
earnestly  requested  such  decision."  The  Synod 
"after  some  discussion  decided  that  the  congrega- 
tion ought  to  have  leave  to  prosecute  the  call  for 
Mr.  Condit,  and  directed  the  Presbytery  to  give 
them  leave."  Presbytery  "complied  with  their 
advice  and  direction."* 

On  12  Dec.  1820,  Presbyters^  met  at  Goodwill 
and  received  ]\Ir.  Condit.  A  remonstrance  against 
his  settlement  was  also  received  and  read.  As  it 
-ig-in, — related   to   circumstances 


t  Mill,  of  Presb.     Vol.  iv,  p.  i66. 

*  Mill,  of  Presb.     Vol.  4,  pps.  19S-200. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  95 

connected  with  making  out  the  call, — contained 
no  proof  of  the  charges  it  conveyed  against  the 
Moderator  and  the  majority  at  that  time  ;  as  the 
whole  matter  had  been  sanctioned  by  Synod,  and 
as  Mr.  Condit  had  been  received  and  had  accepted 
the  call  therefore  it  was  Resolved  :  ' '  That  the 
remonstrance  be  declared  out  of  order."  Mr. 
Condit  was  then  examined  and  the  next  day  or- 
dained and  installed. 

The  remonstrants  withdrew,  and  the  "Berea," 
R.  D.  Church  in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  ul- 
timately grew  out  of  their  secession. 

The  present  commodious  parsonage  was  built 
during  the  first  year  of  Mr.  Condit' s  ministry. 
On  22  April  1830,  he  was  released,  and  on  8  June 
1831,  dismissed  to  the    "Presbytery  of  Oswego." 

On  27  Jnly  1830,  Rev.  William  Blain  was  re- 
ceived from  the  "Presbytery  of  North  River" 
and  installed  at  Goodwill,  where  he  continued  for 
twenty-five  years,  beloved  by  his  people,  dis- 
tinguished for  his  righteous  character  and  trusted 
in  the  courts  of  the  church  ;  while  his  ministry 
was  honored  of  God  by  two  precious  revivals,  and 
the  addition  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-fixve  souls 
on  profession  of  their  faith.  In  the  first  year  of  Mr. 
Blain's  pastorate  $1,231  were  expended  in  repairs 
upon  the  church  edifice. 

10.  GOSHEN.— After  the  release  of  Rev. 
Ezra  Fisk,  D.D.,  from  the  pastorate  of  the  Goshen 
Church  II  Sept.  1833,  supplies  were  appointed  for 
two  Sabbaths  in  each   month  until  April.      At  a 


96  HISTORY   OF 

Special  meeting,  5  March  1834,  a  call  upon  the 
Rev.  James  V.  Henry  of  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Bed- 
ford," to  become  their  pastor  was  presented  and 
found  in  order,  and  leave  was  granted  to  prosecute 
the  same  before  that  Presbytery.  As  there  is  no 
further  reference  to  this  transaction  it  is  probable, 
Mr.  Henry  declined  their  overtures.  The  church 
continued  to  receive  supplies  from  Presbyter}-  for 
about  one-quarter  of  the  time,  until  21  April  1835, 
when  Rev.  James  R.  Johnson  was  received  from 
the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New  York, ' '  and  a  call  for  his 
services,  accompanied  with  a  remonstrance,  was 
presented.  Presbytery  heard  the  commissioner, 
James  W.  Wilkins,  and  the  remonstrants  at  some 
length,  and  discussed  the  matter  thus  brought  be- 
fore them,  after  which  they  resolved  to  install  Mr. 
Johnson,  which  was  done,  30  April  1835.  A  com- 
mittee appointed  to  confer  with  the  Session  of  the 
church  in  Goshen  in  reference  to  certain  existing 
difficulties,  reported  15  Sept.  1836,  "that  they  had 
been  unable  to  effect  a  settlement  of  said  difficul- 
ties."* Mr.  Johnson's  pastorate  terminated  16 
Oct.  1839,  by  his  resignation  ;  the  impaired  state 
of  his  health  being  assigned  as  the  reason. 

II.  GREENBUSH.  12.  NYACK.  —  The 
Rev.  Andrew  Thompson  was  released  from  the 
Greenbush  charge  25  June  1833,  and,  as  we  have 
seen,  was  the  next  week  installed  at  Deer  Park. 

In  1823,  the  congregation  at  Greenbush  had  built 
their  first  church  edifice  and  dedicated  it   14  Jan. 


Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  vi,  p.  223. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  97 

1824.  On  16  April  1834,  Rev.  Jared  Dewing  was 
received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Albany ' '  and 
eight  days  later  was  installed  pastor  of  the  united 
churches  of  Greenbush  and  Nyack.  On  18  Sept. 
1835,  their  church  edifice  was  destroyed  by 
fire.  The  next  year  the  same  stone  walls  were 
again  enclosed  and  it  was  rededicated  on  5  April 
1837.  These  churches  presented  a  petition  in 
April  1834,  requesting  to  be  transferred  to  the 
' '  Presbytery  of  New  York. ' '  The  request  was 
complied  with,  and  on  22  Oct.  1834,  the  transfer 
was  effected  by  the  ' '  Synod  of  New  York, ' '  thus 
dividing  the  Presbytery. 

13.  HAVERSTRAW.  14.  NEW  HEMP- 
STEAD.—The  venerable  Samuel  Pelton  who  had, 
since  18  Feb.  181 7,  been  pastor  ofthe  united  churches 
of  Haverstraw  and  New  Hempstead  requested,  16 
Oct.  1839,  on  the  ground  of  failing  health,  that 
his  relation  to  this  his  only  pastoral  charge,  might 
cease.  The  congregation  were  cited  to  show  cause 
at  the  next  stated  meeting,  if  any  existed,  why  it 
should  not  be  done.  Failing  to  appear.  Presbytery 
released  Mr.  Pelton  on  22  April  1840.  The  church 
had  at  that  time  eighty-two  members.  Mr.  Pelton 
had  just  passed  his  sixty-fifth  birth-day. 

The  life  of  this  man  seems  to  be  an  essential 
part  of  the  history  of  this  Presbytery.  His 
parents  were  members  of  the  Goodwill  Church. 
In  answer  to  prayer  they  received  him  back 
to  life,  when  at  the  age  of  three  years  it 
7 


98  HISTORY   OF 

seemed  that  he  iiiust  die.  When  he  united  with 
the  Goodwill  Church  his  father  and  the  pastor 
Mr.  King,  urged  him  to  study  for  the  ministry. 
He  did  not  see  his  way  clear  to  do  so.  In  1797, 
he  married,  and  in  1802,  bought  a  tract  of  land, 
four  miles  from  Monticello  and  moved  there  the 
next  year.  He  built  a  log-cabin  in  the  wilderness 
and  spent  fourteen  years  in  subduing  the  forests 
and  reducing  acre  after  acre  to  tillage.  At  the 
same  time  he  was  one  of  the  most  active  christian 
men  between  the  vSiiawangunk  Mountain  and  the 
Delaware  River.  He  gathered  people  together 
wherever  he  could  on  the  Sabbath,  prayed  with 
them,  exhorted  them  and  instructed  them  in  the 
way  of  salvation.  He  was  often  called  to  officiate 
at  funerals.  He  was  one  of  the  two  ruling  elders 
ordained  at  the  organization  of  the  Monticello 
Church.  On  the  21  April  1814,  he  yielded  to  the 
earnest  persuasion  of  Rev.  Mr.  King  and  others, 
was  taken  under  the  care  of  Presbytery  and  began 
the  study  of  theology.  He  was  licensed  6  Sept. 
1 81 6,  and  ordained  and  installed  18  Feb.  181 7,  as 
we  have  stated.  Instead  however,  of  going  home 
to  die  after  a  twenty-three  years  pastorate,  his 
health  greatly  improved  in  the  liigh  region  of 
Sullivan  County,  and  he  was  able  to  supply  vacant 
pulpits  and  preach  in  destitute  regions  during  the 
twenty-three  years  longer  that  his  life  was  spared. 
He  died  10  July  1864,  ^^^^  ^^^^  buried  at  Monticello. 
15.  HOPEWELL.— After  the  release  of  Rev. 
Isaac  VanDoren  20  x^pril  1825,  supplies  were  fur- 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  99 

nished  by  Presbytery.  On  19  Dec.  1826,  Mr.  Hugh 
M.  Kooiitz  was  received  as  a  licentiate  from  the 
"  Presbytery  of  Washington. "  The  next  day  he 
was  ordained  and  installed.  During  his  ministry 
the  present  meeting  house  was  eredled  on  a  new 
and  more  eligible  site  than  that  previously  occupied. 
On  9  May  1832,  Mr.  Koontz  was  released  and  dis- 
missed to  the  ■ ' '  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia. ' '  On 
17  April  1833,  Rev.  John  H.  Leggett  was  received 
from  the  "Presbytery  of  North  River."  On  15 
May  following,  he  was  installed,  and  continued  a 
faithful  and  a  successful  pastor  for  twenty-two  years. 
Like  his  predecessor,  Mr.  VanDoren,  he  was  long 
and  intimately  identified  with  the  Presbytery  as 
Stated  Clerk. 

16.  LIBERTY.— On  6  Sept.  1821,  Presbytery 
addressed  a  letter  to  the  Session  at  Liberty  on  the 
subject  of  their  irregularity  in  employing  a  man 
unknown  to  the  Presbytery,  as  their  religious 
teacher.'^  On  17  April  1822,  Mr.  Carrier  in  behalf 
of  the  congregation,  applied  for  leave  to  em- 
ploy Mr.  Mackey  to  preach  for  them  until 
the  next  stated  meeting.  The  request  was 
granted,  "providing  Mr.  Mackey's  credentials 
show  him  to  be  regularly  authorized  to  preach 
the  gospel." 

The  Presbyterial  Narrative  of  1827,  ^^  ^^ 
especially  sad  and  gloomy  one.  Two  pages  of 
details  are  summed  up  in  this  sentence  :      "  Over 


*  Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  iv,  p.  226. 


TOO  HISTORY   OF 

all  our  older  and  larger  churches, — an  appalling 
gloom  is  gathering  which  threatens  to  paralyze, 
by  its  withering  influence,  the  vital  stream  of  life 
and  energy."  Yet,  there  were  two  "verdant 
spots  refreshed  by  the  healthful  influence  of  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness. ' '  One  of  these  was  Liberty. 
The  labors  of  one  of  the  licentiates  of  Presbytery 
had  been  peculiarly  favored  with  the  blessing  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  more  than  sixty  had  been  led 
to  cherish  the  hope  of  salvation.  The  other  point 
was  Milford,  which  is  said  to  have  "undergone  an 
astonishing  transformation."  There  is  no  other 
reference  to  the  church  of  Liberty  except  in  the 
report  of  the  committee  of  supplies,  where  it 
appears  regularly,  except  in  the  years  1831  and 
1832.  Mr.  Condit,  the  supply  for  the  fourth  Sab- 
bath in  Nov.  1829,  ^s  "directed  to  preach  on  the 
subject  of  Intemperance."  In  1834,  there  were 
seventy-nine  members  ;  and  in  1840,  when  Mr. 
James  Petrie  was  ordained  and  installed, — the  first 
pastor, — there  were  seventy-four  members. 

17.  MONTICELLO.— On  6  July  1820,  Rev. 
John  Boyd  was  received  from  the  ' '  Presbyter>^  of 
Newton,"  and  installed  "for  one-half  his  time." 
On  20  April  1825,  ^^^  pastoral  relation  was  dis- 
solved. Supplies  were  furnished,  until  Rev. 
William  Mcjimsey,  received  from  the  "Second 
Presbytery  of  New  York,"  was  installed  on 
23  June  1829.  On  15  Sept.  1830,  he  was  re- 
leased, and  on  14  Sept.  1831,  dismissed  to  the 
"Presbytery  of  Newton."      Monticello  again  ap- 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  lOI 

pears  among  the  churches  supplied,  until  1 1  Sept. 
1833,  when  Rev.  James  Adams  was  received  from 
the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Montrose, ' '  and  the  next  day 
was  installed.  His  pastorate  continued  undisturbed 
for  a  period  of  twenty  years. 

18.  RIDGEBURY.— The  pastoral  relation  of 
Rev.  William  Blain  terminated  20  April  1820. 
Supplies  were  appointed  regularly  until  1824, 
and  once  in  1825.  On  4  Oct.  1827,  ^^v-  William 
Timlow,  then  pastor  at  Amity,  was  installed  for 
"  one-half  his  time."  It  is  probable,  as  the  local 
history*  states,  that  Mr.  Timlow  had  for  some 
years  already  supplied  the  Ridgebury  pulpit  on 
alternate  Sabbaths.  On  25  June  1833,  this  rela- 
tion was  dissolved,  and  on  i  Oct.,  Rev.  Sylvester 
Sweezy  was  installed  pastor  for  the  full  time.  He 
died  at  Ridgebury  5  Mar.  1837,  and  his  sepulchre 
is  there  to  this  day. 

This  church  reported  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
six  members  in  1837. 

19.  SCOTCHTOWN.— The  church  of  Scotch- 
town  is  one  of  those  which  do  not  make  history 
fast.  Rev.  Methuselah  Baldwin,  installed  its  first 
pastor  in  1803,  was  still  "standing  in  his  lot  at 
the  end  of  the  days  "  of  controversy.  On  12  June 
1839,  Mr.  Edward  D.  G.  Prime  was  ordained  and 
installed  co-pastor  with  Mr.  Baldwin.  In  the 
Minutes  of  the  General  Assembly  for  1826,  ten 
dollars  for  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Princeton, 


*  Rev.  T.  Brittain. 


102  HISTORY   OF 

are  credited  to   "The  Female  Benevolent  Society 
of  Scotclitown. " 

20.  WESTTOWN.— The  Rev.  Thos.  Grier, 
pastor  at  Westtown  since  Feb.  1809,  had  from  time 
to  time  preached  in  the  southern  part  of  Sullivan 
County,  and  having  presunied  to  immerse  two 
converts  at  Forestburgh,  was  severely  criticised  by 
a  portion  of  his  congregation.  On  18  April  1827, 
the  Presbytery  was  memorialized  upon  the  sub- 
ject, and  during  the  discussion,  Mr.  Grier  asked 
that  his  pastoral  relation  might  be  dissolved.  The 
congregation  were  cited  to  appear  at  the  next  meet- 
ing, and  on  12  Sept.  1827,  with  their  concurrence, 
the  dissolution  was  effected.  On  30  Oct.  1828, 
Rev.  Christopher  Cory  was  received  from  the 
"Presbytery  of  Newark,"  and  remained  in  con- 
nection with  this  Presbyter}'  until  12  Sept.  1832, 
when  he  was  dismissed  to  the  "Presbyter}^  of 
Michigan. ' '  There  is  no  reference  in  the  ' '  records ' ' 
to  any  call  upon  Mr.  Cory  from  the  Church  of 
Westtown.  It  is  probable  that  he  served  them  as 
Stated  Supply.  In  the  midst  of  the  four  years 
that  he  labored  there,  God's  Spirit  was  present  to 
bless  the  Word,  and  on  27  Dec. '1829,  ^^^  hundred 
and  one  souls  were  received  into  the  communion 
of  the  church.  Before  the  close  of  Mr.  Grier' s 
pastorate  the  old  meeting  house  had  been  razed,  re- 
framed,  remodeled  and  reared  again,  its  dimensions 
thirty-eight  by  forty-eight  feet,  and  its  style,  a 
gallery  on  three  sides  with  the  pulpit  between  the 
doors.      In  the  first  year  of  Mr.   Cor}^'s  ministry, 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  IO3 

30  April  1829,  ^  portion  of  the  congregation, 
having  erected  a  neat  and  comfortable  meeting 
honse  at  Centreville,  were  organized  into  a  separate 
body  by  a  committee  of  Presbytery.  In  the  last 
year  of  his  ministry,  on  20  Sept.  1831,  sixty-nine 
other  members  were  organized  into  the  Church  of 
Unionville.  On  17  April  1833,  ^^v.  Theron 
C.  Depew  was  received  from  the  "Presbytery  of 
North  River,"  and  on  i  May,  he  was  installed 
pastor  of  the  united  churches  of  Westtown  and 
Unionville.  His  relation  to  the  Unionville  Church 
ceased  20  Oct.  1824  5  ^^^^  he  continued  pastor  of 
the  Westtown  Church  until  17  April  1838,  when 
he  was  released.  After  repeated  applications  for  a 
letter  of  dismission  to  the  "  Presbytery  of  St. 
Joseph's,"  Presbytery,  on  22  April  1840,  "fur- 
nished him  a  certificate  of  good  standing  up  to  the 
time  of  his  leaving  our  bounds  in  the  summer  of 
1838."- 

The  Rev.  Thos.  Holliday  acted  as  Stated  Supply 
during  a  portion  of  the  interval  that  occurred  be- 
fore the  installation  of  Rev.  Ralph  Bull  as  the  next 
pastor,  20  Jan.  1841. 

31.  WHITE  LAKE.— Rev.  John  Boyd,  of  Mon- 
ticello,  devoted  one-half  his  time  to  this  church. 
Twelve  persons  were  received  by  letter  and  thirty- 
two  on  confession,  of  whom  twenty-eight  had  re- 
ceived baptism  in  infanc}-,  during  his  ministry 
there.      In  Jan.    1826,    Rev.    William    Mcjimsey 


Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  vi,  p.  351. 


I04  HISTORY    OF 

visited,  and  spent  much  of  his  time  for  two  years, 
with  this  church.  For  twent)^  years,  the  member- 
ship was  largely  composed  of  Congregationalists. 
After  1830,  the  additions  were  more  frequently 
Presbyterians  from  Scotland  and  Ireland.  The 
' '  Associate  Reformed  Presbytery, ' '  up  to  that  year, 
joined  in  sending  supplies.  Their  people  wor- 
shiped in  the  same  building  and  aided  in  the  sup- 
port of  the  gospel.  The  two  congregations 
cordially  fraternized,  neither  being  able  to  obtain 
or  support  a  minister  alone.  During  1830  and 
1 83 1,  Rev.  James  George  supplied  the  united 
congregations.  B)^  his  advice  the  Associate  Re- 
formed people  became  a  separate  organization,  and 
the  White  I^ake  Church  was  thrown  on  its  own 
resources.  In  the  spring  of  1836,  Rev.  Thomas 
Holliday,  who  had  been  received  from  the  "Pres- 
bytery of  Albau}' "  on  11  Sept.  1833,  began  his 
labors,  and  gave  all  his  time  to  this  church  for  two 
years.  In  Sept.  1838,  Mr.  Holliday  was  tried  and 
unanimously  acquitted  by  Presbytery,  of  the  charge 
of  immorality.  On  11  Sept.  1839,  this  church 
obtained  leave  to  employ  Mr.  Joseph  Sillcocks  of 
the  "Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SKETCHES  OF  THE  CHURCHES  ADDED  TO   THE   ROLL 
DURING  THIS  PERIOD. 

To  these  twenty-one  churches  there  were  added 
eleven  others  in  the  following  order  : 

I.  FORBSTBURGH,— In  Sullivan  County, 
applied  i8  April  1821,  to  be  received  under  the 
care  of  Presbytery.  The  request  was  granted  and 
leave  given  to  employ  Rev.  Stephen  Sergeant  of  the 
' '  Congregational  Convention  of  N.  J. "  Mr.  Ser- 
geant's  application  to  be  received  as  a  member  of 
Presbytery  was  postponed  and  in  April  1822,  dis- 
missed. He  was  however  Stated  Supply  at  For- 
estburgh,  appointed  from  time  to  time  at  their 
request,  for  three  years.  There  were  thirty-three 
members  reported  in  1822  and  thirty-two  in  1824. 
In  1 83 1,  supplies  having  been  regularly  furnished, 
they  reported  thirty-eight.  Though  carefully  cher- 
ished by  Presbytery,  no  efforts  appear  to  have  been 
made  to  build  a  meeting  house  for  this  organization  ; 
and  though  at  one  time  it  was  expected  to  out- 
grow the  church  at  Monticello,  it  evejitually  died 
in  the  District  School  House  in  which  it  was  born. 
Its  name  disappears  after  19  April  1837,  when  Mr. 
Jeremiah  Terbell,  the  only  remaining  elder,  applied 
to  Presbytery  for  a  letter  of  dismission  to  join  some 
church  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

(105) 


Io6  HISTORY   OF 

2.  MIDDLBTOWN.— The  earliest  ecclesias- 
tical connection  of  this  church  was  with  the 
"Associated  Presb3'ter}^  of  Morris  Comity."  After 
1792,  the  "  Associated  Presbyter}^  of  Westchester  " 
fnrnished  it  counsel  and  pulpit  supplies.  The 
oldest  proof  of  its  existence  on  record  is  dated  22 
Sept.  1792,  at  which  time  fourteen  candidates  for 
membership  were  received.  Tradition  fixes  the 
date  of  its  birth  on  10  June  1785.  The  first  meet- 
ing house  was  so  far  inclosed  as  to  be  occupied  for 
public  worship  in  1786.  Ten  years  later  it  was, 
at  a  parish  meeting,  by  a  majority  vote,  decided 
"  to  be  a  duty  to  petition  the  Legislature  for  an  adl 
to  make  a  lottery  for  the  purpose  of  finishing  the 
meeting  house  and  buying  a  parsonage."  The 
meeting  house  was  finished  how^ever  in  1798,  with- 
out the  church  being  obliged  to  discharge  this 
"duty;"  and  standing  for  thirty  years,  on  the 
present  site  of  the  Congregational  Church,  it  be- 
came the  birth-place  of  many  souls. 

The  names  of  those  who  ministered  to  this  church 
in  early  times  were,  Rev.  Charles  Seely,  who  also 
preached  to  the  church  of  "  Shawangunk,"  (Deer 
Park?)  until  1796.  Rev.  Zenas  Smith,  ordained  in 
1798,  was  Stated  Supply  for  several  years.  Rev. 
William  Bull  from  1805  to  1807.  Rev.  Allen  Blair 
from  1808  to  1 81 2,  one  third  of  his  time.  Rev. 
Abel  Jackson    from    181 2   to   18 19.      Rev.    Abner 

Brundage.     Rev.  Boughton.      Rev.  William 

Blain  1820  to  1823,  ^^^^   ^^^-  Daniel   Young,  who 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  IO7 

was  licensed  and  ordained    ^^ sine  ttticlo^^''   by  the 
Presbytery  of  Hudson,  on  13  Nov.  1823. 

Under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Jackson,  in  181 5, 
there  was  a  wonderful  outpouring  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  souls 
were  added  to  the  church.  This  embraced  a  large 
proportion  of  the  population,  for  there  were  .not 
people  enough  even  to  have  a  post  office  until  the 
next  year  ;  and  its  receipts  for  the  first  quarter 
were  only  sixty-nine  cents.  New  Year's  day  181 6, 
was  made  a  day  of  special  thanksgiving,  and 
neiofhborino-  ministers  and  churches  were  invited 
to  enter  into  the  joy  of  the  occasion.  The  Wed- 
nesday evening  prayer  meeting  then  instituted  has 
never  had  the  fire  on  its  altars  extinguished.  After 
a  few  years  it  was  found  that  ' '  the  enemy  had 
sowed  tares  among  the  wheat."  Cases  of  disci- 
pline arose,  too  intricate  for  Congregational  wisdom 
to  adjust,  and  too  grievously  scandalous  for  its 
authority  to  cure.  In  the  most  deliberate  manner 
the  church  polity  was  changed.  On  20  April  1824, 
they  asked  to  be  received  into  connection  with 
Presbytery  on  the  same  plan  with  the  Church  of 
Blooming  Grove,  and  appointed  deacon  Kli  Corwin 
as  delegate.  The  request  was  granted  and  deacon 
Corwin  was  invited  to  take  his  seat  as  a  member  of 
Presbytery."^  On  10  June  following,  Mr.  George 
Stebbins  was  ordained  and  installed.  On  3  Nov. 
1825,    the    society   met  and  organized  under  the 


*  Min.  Presb.     Vol.  vi,  p.  327. 


I08  HISTORY   OF 

Presbyterian  order,  electing  ten  persons  to  serve  as 
elders.  In  March.  1826,  five  of  these  were  ordained 
and  the  ecclesiastical  organization  was  perfected  by 
declaring  them  regularly  constituted  elders.  On 
18  April  1827,  ^^'  Stebbins  was  released.  On  31 
March  1828,  the  corporate  title  was  changed.  Six 
trustees  of  "The  First  Presbyterian  Church  and 
Congregation  of  Middletown,"  were  elected  and 
measures  were  initiated  to  build  a  new  meeting 
house.  This  building  was  completed  and  dedi- 
cated 20  Jan.  1830. 

On  22  Oct.  1828,  Rev.  Donald  Mcintosh  was 
received  from  the  "  Presbytery  of  Steubenville, " 
and  on  11  Nov.  was  installed.  On  21  April  1830,  he 
sent  a  request  that  he  might  be  released,  and  the 
congregation  was  cited  to  show  cause  if  any 
existed  why  it  should  not  be  done.  At  an  ad- 
journed meeting  on  9  June  1830,  they  concurred 
in  the  request  and  the  relation  was  dissolved.  On 
10  Dec.  1834,  Mr.  Mcintosh  died  in  the  State  of 
Florida,  where  he  had  gone  in  quest  of  health. 
On  18  April  1828,  Mr.  Daniel  T.  Wood  was 
licensed,  and  on  23  Oct.  following,  he  was  or- 
dained as  an  evangelist.  On  9  June  1830,  he  was 
installed  in  the  pulpit  which  he  had  already  filled 
with  great  acceptance  during  the  absence  of  Mr. 
Mcintosh.  The  pastorate  of  Mr.  Wood  which 
terminated  with  his  decease  18  Aug.  1859,  was 
eminently  successful  and  early  distinguished  by 
tokens  of  the  divine  favor.  An  aggregate  of 
one  hundred  and  thirty-eight  souls  were  added  to 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  IO9 

the  church  within  a  few  years  after  his  installa- 
tion. He  succeeded  Mr.  Condit  as  Stated  Clerk  in 
April  1830,  and  remained  in  that  office  until  the 
spring  of  1838.* 

3.  MOUNT  PIvEASANT.— On  19  April  1825, 
a  communication  from  the  "Congregational  Church 
of  Mount  Pleasant,"  in  Wayne  County,  Pa.,  was 
read,  and  their  request  to  be  taken  under  the  care 
of  this  Presbytery  was  granted. 

4.  MIIvFORD, — First  appears  on  the  Records 
of  Presbytery,  6  vSept.  1821.  Supplies  were  then 
appointed  for  six  Sabbaths,  and  regularly  there- 
after until  April  1826.  On  i  Sept  1825,  at  a 
meeting  of  citizens,  it  was  resolved  to  ask  the 
Presbytery  to  organize  a  church.  Rev.  Thomas 
Grier  was  sent  to  preach  at  Milford  on  25  Sept., 
and  to  organize  and  administer  the  Lord's  Supper. 
On  the  23d,  the  people  met  and  chose  the  title  of 
the  ' '  Church  and  Congregation  of  Milford. ' '  On 
the  24th,  James  Wallace,  Moses  Bross  and  Jacob 
Quick  were  elected  elders,  and  on  the  25th,  they 
were  ordained  and  the  Lord's  Supper  was  adminis- 
tered by  Mr.  Grier.  On  9  April  1826,  three  more 
elders  wer^  ordained,  and  on  the  i8th  the  church 
was  at  their  own  request,  taken  under  the  care 
of  the  Presbytery.  The  Narrative  of  1827,  which 
deplores  the  almost  universal  declension  in  vital 
piety,  refers  to  "an  astonishing  change  in  the 
moral  character  and  religious  prosperity  of  the  little 


*  Local  History,  by  Rev.  Augustus  Seward,  D.D. 


no  HISTORY   OF 

church  of  Milford."  They  had  wept  and  prayed 
and  labored  for  perishing  souls  around  them,  and 
had  "obtained  under  patronage  of  the  'A.  H.  M. 
Society,'  the  services  of  one  of  our  members  for 
half  his  time."t  One  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
souls  on  confession  and  four  by  letter,  were  added 
to  the  membership,  and  the  little  church,  organized 
eighteen  months  before  with  eight  members,  now 
reported  one  hundred  and  fifty-six.  The  Rev. 
Thomas  Grier,  after  eighteen  years'  labor  at  West- 
town,  accepted  a  call  and  was  installed  on  8  July 
1828.  The  congregation,  which  had  worshiped 
hitherto  in  the  old  court  house,  built  their  first 
church  edifice  on  the  spot  now  occupied  by  the 
parsonage.  On  14  Sept.  1831,  Mr.  Grier  was  re- 
leased, and  on  21  Feb.  1832,  he  was  dismissed  to 
the  ' '  Presby ter>^  of  North  River. ' '  For  two  years 
the  Rev.  Edward  Allen,  teacher  of  the  Milford 
Academy,  acted  as  Stated  Supply.  We  learn  from 
the  Narrative  of  1833,  ^^^^  "during  the  past  year 
in  Milford  more  than  one  hundred  members  have 
been  added,"  making  a  total  of  one  hundred  and 
seventy-nine.  From  Aug.  1834,  to  Aug.  1835, 
Rev.  William  Townley  was  Stated  Supply.  In 
Sept.  1835,  Presbytery  appointed  supplies,  and  in 
April  1836,  the  Stated  Clerk  was  "directed  to 
furnish  the  Church  of  Milford  with  the  rules  of 
Presbytery  respecting  supplies."  On  8  Nov. 
1836,  Mr.  Ralph  Bull  was  received  as  a   licentiate 


t  Tliere  is  110  clue  to  tlie  name  of  this  member  of  Presbytery. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  Ill 

from  the  "Second  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia." 
A  call  from  Milford  was  placed  in  his  hands  which 
he  declared  he  could  not  accept.  He  united 
however  with  the  church  in  asking  that  he  might 
be  ordained  ;  which  request  was  granted,  and  he 
was  ordained  at  Milford  25  Nov.  1836.  He  served 
them  as  Stated  Supply  until  1840,  in  which  year 
^Milford  reported  one  hundred  and  twenty  members. 
5.  CENTERVILLE,— Was  organized  30  April 
1829,  from  a  part  of  the  Church  of  Westtown. 
"The  Centreville  Presbyterian  Church  and  Con- 
gregation," was  incorporated  on  5  April  1827,  ^^^ 
the  work  of  building  a  meeting  house  was  at  once 
entered  upon.  It  was  completed  and  dedicated  on 
19  April  1829.  On  the  2 2d,  tv/enty-five  persons 
with  letters  from  Westtown,  requested  Presbyter}' 
to  organize  them  into  a  church  ' '  at  Centreville  in 
the  vicinity  where  they  reside."  A  committee 
was  appointed  to  effect  the  organization  on  the 
30tli  inst. ' '  Three  elders  were  ordained,  Messrs. 
David  Osborn,  Martin  L.  Mapes  and  Dorastus 
Brown.  The  Presbytery  appointed  supplies  for 
that  year.  The  local  history  states  that  "  P^-ev. 
Thomas  Grier  was  called  to  fill  the  pulpit  about 
25  Dec."  If  that  is  correct,  then  Centreville  was 
united  with  Milford  under  Mr.  Grier,  to  which 
arrangement  there  is  no  allusion  upon  the  records 
of  Presbytery.  Mr.  Grier  lived  in  his  own  house 
at  Milford  ;  left  there  in  the  fall  of  1S31,  and  took 
a  dismission  from  tlie  Presbytery,  as  we  have  seen, 
in  P^eb.  1832.   Rev.  William  Townley  immediately 


112  HISTORY   OF 

succeeded  him  at  Centreville,  and  supplied  Milford 
also  for  a  year  from  Aug.  1834.  On  8  Sept.  he 
was  received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Elizabeth- 
town,"  and  was  installed  at  Centreville  on  22 
April  1834.  On  19  April  1837,  he  was  released 
and  on  13  Sept.  following,  dismissed  to  the  "  Pres- 
bytery of  Blizabethtown."  On  18  April  1838, 
Rev.  Benjamin  Van  Keuren  was  received  from  the 
"  Classis  of  Paramus,"  and  on  2  May  following, 
installed  at  Centreville,  where  he  remained  eight 
years. 

6.  CARBONDAIvE.— On  23  June  1829,  ^  con- 
gregation at  Carbondale,  Pa.,  requested  that  a 
committee  of  Presbytery  might  be  sent  "to 
organize  a  church  on  Saturday  of  this  week  at  that 
•place."  The  request  was  granted  and  Rev.  Joel 
Campbell  was  so  appointed. 

7.  HONBSDALK.— On  8  Sept.  1829,  "a 
church  lately  organized  at  Honesdale  "  requested 
to  be  taken  under  the  care  of  Presbytery.  Their 
request  was  granted  and  the  session  books  of 
Honesdale  and  Carbondale  were  presented  with 
others,  for  review  at  this  meeting.  On  16  Sept. 
1830,  Rev.  Joel  Campbell  was  installed. 

On  2 1  April  1 83 1 ,  these  four  churches,  Bethany, 
Carbondale,  Honesdale  and  Mt.  Pleasant  petitioned 
that  they  might  be  transferred  to  the  Presbytery 
of  Susquehanna.  The  request,  with  approval  of 
Presbytery,  was  referred  to  the  Synod  of  New 
York,  and  to  the  General  Assembly,  and  the  Pres- 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  II3 

bytery  of  Hudson  was  thus  in  1832,  a  second  time 
divided. 

8.  MONROE. — This  church  was  organized  by 
Rev.  Messrs.  Silas  Constant  and  Anizi  I^ewis,  of 
the  ' '  Associated  Presbytery  of  Morris  County, ' '  on 
17  May  1784,  with  about  seventeen  members,  of 
whom  two  were  elected  deacons.  A  meeting  house 
was  begun  in  1787,  but  remained  unfinished  for 
many  years  ;  the  congregation  seating  themselves 
upon  the  floor  beams,  while  the  carpenter's  bench 
served  for  a  pulpit.  For  thirty-five  years  they  were 
supplied  with  preaching  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Constant, 
Baldwin,  Powel,  Porter,  Simeon  R.  Jones  and 
Rev.  James  H.  Thomas  of  Chester.  Supplies 
were  furnished  by  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson  as 
early  as  Sept.  181 7.  In  1820,  there  were  thirteen 
resident  members.  Rev.  Hosea  Ball  supplied  them 
from  1 82 1  until  the  spring  of  1823,  during  which 
time  eighteen  more  were  added.  In  June  1823, 
Rev.  Thomas  White  became  the  pastor,  but  was 
released  in  Sept.  1824.  ^^^  1825,  Rev.  John  Boyd 
became  Stated  Supply,  and  so  remained  for  nine 
years,*  during  which  time  the  church  became  fully 
Presbyterian  in  its  organization.  On  9  Sept. 
1829,  ^^^^  "  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Monroe, " 
requested  to  be  taken  under  the  care  of  Presby- 
tery. On  8  Nov.  1836,  Rev.  John  J.  Thompson  was 
received  from  the  "Presbytery  of  Columbia,"  and 


*  There  is  no  record  of  any  installation  at,  or  call  from  Monroe 
upon,  Mr.  Boyd. 


114  HISTORY   OF 

became  Stated  Supply.  For  ten  years  ^Ir.  Thompson 
maintained  his  ground  with  great  fidelity,  and  cour- 
aofeouslv  defended  ''the  faith  once  delivered  to 
the  saints."  His  labors  were  rewarded  with  a 
precious  revival  of  religion,  and  he  laid  securely, 
foundations  upon  which  his  successor  thank- 
fully enlarged  and  edified  the  spiritual  house  of 
God.-^ 

9.  UXIOXVILLE.— On  iS  April  1832,  a  com- 
mittee of  Presbyter}-,  appointed  the  previous  Sept., 
reported  this  church  duly  organized  with  sixt\--niue 
members  from  Westtown,  and  five  elders.  Supplies 
were  appointed.  It  is  probable  that  Rev.  Theron 
C.  Depew  had  supplied  them  some  months,  if  not 
for  the  whole  inter\-al  from  the  organization  to  his 
installation  on  i  May  1833.  He  was  released  on 
20  Oct.  1834.  The  pulpit  remained  vacant  for  two 
years.  The  Rev.  Peter  Kanouse  of  the  ' '  Presby- 
ter}' of  Newark/'  was  Stated  Supply  from  Sept. 
1836,  until  Oct.  1839. 

10.  MONTGOMERY.  —A  number  of  members 
of  the  Goodwill  Church  on  the  east,  and  others  of 
the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  on  the  west,  found  it 
convenient  to  unite  with  the  religious  element  in  the 
village  of  Montgomer}-  in  forming  a  new  congre- 
eation.  The  comer-stone  of  a  meetinor  house  was 
laid  with  appropriate  ceremonies  on  19  June  1831, 
and  on  27  Aug.  1832,  they  invited  Rev.  James  O. 
Stokes  to  become  their  pastor.    But  his  relations  to 


T  Local  Historv  bv  Rev.  D.  N.  Freeland. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  II5 

Presbytery  not  proving  satisfactory,  he  remained 
as  Supply  but  one  year. 

In  response  to  a  request  from  the  ' '  First  Pres- 
byterian Congregation  of  the  village  of  Mont- 
gomery," presented  12  Sept.  1832,  they  were 
taken  under  the  care  of  Presbytery,  and  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  organize  a  church  in 
said  congregation  on  the  2  Oct.  1832.  The  church 
was  organized  with  tliirty  members,  five  of  whom 
were  installed  as  elders. 

On  16  April  1834,  Mr.  Sheridan  Guiteau,  a  licen- 
tiate of  the  "Presbytery  of  New  York,"  was  re- 
ceived, and  on  29th,  ordained  and  installed.  He 
was  released  on  14  July  1835,  but  in  that  brief 
period  the  membership  was  increased  to  ninety-one. 
On  21  Oct.  he  was  dismissed  to  the  "  Presbytery  of 
Baltimore."  On  14  July  1835,  Rev.  Benjamin  B. 
Stockton  was  received  from  the  "  Presbytery  of 
Genesee,"  and  on  the  28th  was  installed.  On  18 
April  1838  he  was  released  and  dismissed  to  the 
"  Presbyter^^  of  Rochester. "  During  his  ministry 
there  were  thirteen  additions  from  the  world  and 
eighteen  by  letter,  while  in  his  last  year  there  were 
no  fewer  than  sixteen  dismissions,  leaving  a  total 
of  one  hundred  and  five  communicants.  On  26 
June  1838,  Rev.  Elias  R.  Fairchild  was  received 
from  the  "Presbytery  of  Newark,"  and  installed. 
His  pastorate  ceased  on  3  Oct.  1839,  having  re- 
ceived eight  members  by  letter  and  eleven  on 
profession  of  their  faith  in  Christ. 


Il6  HISTORY   OF 

II.  RONDOUT.— On  23  Oct.  1834,  Rev.  John 
Mason  was  received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New 
York,"  and  on  the  same  day  Rev.  Cyrns  Mason 
appeared  in  Presbytery  and  stated  that  the  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Rondout,  Ulster  County,  having 
ascertained  that  their  ecclesiastical  location  is 
within  the  bounds  of  the  Hudson  Presbytery,  do 
request  that  they  may  be  received  under  their  care. 
Their  request  was  granted. 

It  is  evident  that  Presbytery  had  little  oppor- 
tunity to  extend  its  fostering  care  over  this  church. 
There  are  no  reports,  no  representatives  and  no 
contributions  from  the  Church  of  Rondout.  The 
Session-book  was  never  presented  for  review,  and 
the  name  of  the  pastor  appears  among  the  absent- 
tees  until  10  Nov.  1835,  when  Rev.  John  Mason 
asked  to  be  released  from  the  Rondout  Church  and 
dismissed  to  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Bedford, ' '  he  hav- 
ing accepted  a  call  to  the  Church  of  New  Rochelle. 

On  21  April  1840,  the  Rondout  Church  was 
stricken  from  the  roll,  upon  information  that  they 
did  not  acknowledge  the  authority  of  this  body.* 


*  Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  v,  p.  348 


CHAPTER   X. 

ANALYSIS  OF  THE  PERIOD  OF  DIVISION. 

It  would  be  a  pleasant  task  to  enumerate  the 
seasons  of  revival  with  which  the  Presbytery  was 
visited  ;  but  a  few  statements  must  suffice. 

In  1821,  eleven  churches  reported  an  accession 
of  seven  hundred  and  forty-five  ;  in  1827,  nine  re- 
ported one  hundred  and  seventy  ;  in  1830,  eleven 
reported  three  hundred  and  ten  ;  in  1832,  ten 
reported  five  hundred  and  thirty-one  ;  in  1833,  ten 
reported  three  hundred  and  thirty-three  ;  in  1836, 
eleven  reported  one  hundred  and  two  ;  in  1838, 
eleven  reported  one  hundred  and  thirty-one  ;  and 
all  these  were  accessions  from  the  world.  This 
period  was  more  fruitful  in  respect  to  the  ingather- 
ing souls  than  the  one  that  preceded  it,  and 
increased  spiritual  energy  was  also  exhibited  in 
greater  attention  to  the  religious  instruction  of  the 
young  in  Sunday  Schools,  and  more  emphatic 
expression  of  active  interest  in  the  work  of  moral 
reform.  The  American  S.  S.  Union,  organized  in 
1824,  is  commended  in  resolutions  of  sympathy 
and  co-operation  ;  in  1831,  three  thousand  v/ere 
reported  to  Presbytery  as  under  this  form  of 
religious  instruction.  That  branch  of  moral 
reform  which  effectually  banished  the  demijohn 
from  the  harvest  field,  the  decanter  from  the  side- 

("7) 


Il8  HISTORY   OF 

board,  the  wine-cup  from  the  table  of  christians 
and  largely  purified  the  public  breath  from  the 
taint  of  strong  drink,  is  approved  in  such  unam- 
biguous terms  as  these  :  "Whereas,  The  progress 
of  the  temperance  cause  hitherto  in  our  land  calls 
for  devout  gratitude  to  the  author  of  all  good,  and 
is  an  encouraging  token  to  its  friends  of  its  final 
triumph,  and  that  it  may  not  be  retarded  in  its 
onward  march  ;  Resolved  :  That  this  Presbytery 
most  affectionately  recommends  by  precept  and 
example  to  all  the  friends  of  the  cause,  to  practice 
on  the  safe  plan  of  entire  abstinence  from  all  that 
can  intoxicate  as  a  beverage."* 

These  twenty  years  from  the  close  of  1819  to 
1840,  may  well  be  called  The  Period  of  Division. 
It  begins  with  the  division  into  the  two  Presby- 
teries of  "North  River"  and  "Hudson,"  on  23 
Oct.  1819  ;  with  the  consent  of  all  parties  and  the 
conviction  that  it  would  be  for  the  best  interests  of 
the  churches. 

The  second  division  transferred,  at  their  own 
request,  and  with  the  consent  of  Presbytery  and 
Synod  in  1831,  and  of  the  General  Assembly  in 
1832,  the  four  churches  of  Bethany,  Carbondale, 
Honesdale  and  Mount  Pleasant,  in  Wayne  County, 
Pa.,  to  the  "Presbytery  of  Susquehanna. " 

The  third  division  transferred  the  churches  of 
Greenbush  and  Nyack  to  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New 
York"  in  Oct.  1834. 


*  Min.  of  Presb.,  21  April  1836. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  II9 

The  fourth  division,  with  which  the  period 
closed  in  1840,  created  two  bodies  on  the  same  terri- 
tory, each  claiming  to  the  exclusion  of  the  other, 
the  title,  the  functions  and  the  prerogatives  of  the 
''  Presbytery  of  Hudson." 

Since  both  these  held  tenaciously  to  the  Stand- 
ards of  Doctrine  and  Policy  ;  and  each  believed  its 
course  of  procedure  essential  to  the  safety  and  suc- 
cess of  the  church  ;  and  all  acted  ' '  in  all  good 
conscience  before  God;"  it  is  evident  that  the 
cause  of  this  division  must  be  sought  in  some 
influence  subtle  and  pervasive  and  operating,  in 
some  instances  unconsciously,  in  the  realm  of  the 
religious  convictions.  And  when  we  consider  that 
this  division  w^as  not  like  that  between  iVbraham 
and  Lot,  or  that  between  Naomi  and  Orpah,  or 
that  between  Judah  and  the  Ten  Tribes,  final  : — 
but  rather  like  the  dividing  of  an  impetuous  cur- 
rent by  an  obstacle  which  an  earthquake  had 
toppled  into  its  channel,  only  to  flow  together 
again  when  the  obstruction  was  passed, — we  are 
the  more  ready  to  conclude  that  something  of  such 
a  nature  had  prevented  Zion's  watchmen  from  see- 
ing eye  to  eye. 

To  one  reading  the  "Records"  in  the  light  of 
the  historv  of  the  church  at  lars^e  from  the  beo-in- 
ning  of  the  Century,  the  cause  is  apparent. 

Reference  has  alread}-  been  made  to  the  "plan 
OF  UNION," — an  agreement  entered  into  between 
the  "General  Association  of  Connecticut  "  and  the 
"General    Assembly,"    "with  a  view  to  prevent 


I20  HISTORY   OF 

alienation  and  promote  union  and  harmony  in 
those  new  settlements  which  are  composed  of 
inhabitants  from  these  bodies."  Upon  the  pro- 
posal by  the  "Association,"  "to  consider  the 
measures  proper  to  be  adopted,"  the  General 
Assembly -of  1801,  appointed  a  committee  of  five 
' '  to  digest  a  plan  of  government  for  the  churches  in 
the  new  settlements,  agreeably  to  the  propcsal." 
That  committee  presented  four  "Regulations," 
which  were  approved,,  ordered  sent  to  the  Associa- 
tion, and,  ' '  if  approved  by  them,  to  go  into  im- 
mediate operation." 

The  next  year  our  delegates  reported  that  "  the 
Regulations  submitted  by  the  General  Assembly 
had  been  unanimously  adopted  by  the  Associa- 
tion."* 

Prompted  by  the  same  pious  motives,  and  origi- 
nating at  the  same  period,  this  Plan  of  Union  set 
at  work  on  a  higher  plane  the  same  unsound 
principle  which  underlaid  the  "Associated  Presby- 
teries." It  cemented  wath  religious  fervor  what 
would  fall  apart  of  itself  when  the  glow  should 
abate.  It  was  an  artificial  combination  of  two 
radicall)'  different  forms  of  church  government. 
The  same  inevitable  friction  which  retarded  the 
wheels  of  the  machinery  of  those  Presbyteries  until 
they  ceased  to  move,  produced  jarring  in  the  more 
ponderous  enginery  of  Synods  and  Associations 
and  Assemblies. 


*  Mill,  of  Geii.  Assembly,  1801  and  1802. 


HUDSON   PRKSBYTERY.  121 

As  the  business  of  the  partnership  increased, 
and  capital  enlarged,  and  patronage  extended  ;  as 
receipts,  in  churches  organized  and  ministers 
ordained  and  souls  converted,  swelled  to  greater 
proportions,  it  naturally  followed  that  each  partner 
thought  of  his  share  in  the  management,  his  title 
to  the  proceeds  and  his  claim  upon  the  patronage. 
During  the  fifteen  years  immediately  following  the 
adoption  of  the  Plan,  little  notice  was  taken  of  any 
infelicities.  The  rush  of  migration  to  Central  and 
Western  New  York,  overflowing  into  Ohio  which 
had  just  been  admitted  to  the  Union  of  States, 
(1802,)  with  the  busy  efforts  to  collect  the  scattered 
families  into  churches,  followed  by  the  distraction 
of  the  public  attention  during  the  war  with  Great 
Britain  from  181 2  to  181 5,  we  may  well  suppose 
kept  ecclesiastical  matters  in  abeyance.  iVnd  even 
such  friction  as  was  now  and  then  apparent  in  after 
years,  was  largely  overcome  by  unction  upon  the 
churches  in  the  gracious  revivals  in  1815,  1821, 
1830,  etc.  Nevertheless  the  result  seems  a  demon- 
stration of  the  fa6l  that  religious  enterprises  should 
be  managed  upon  sound  business  principles.  In 
^' serving  the  lyord,"  fervency  of  spirit  must  not 
be  either  smothered  or  unduly  fanned  by  ' '  sloth- 
fulness  in  business. ' '  Love  for  Christ  and  love  for 
souls  make  the  hearts  of  christians  flow  together  ; 
but  those  melting  hearts  need  the  restraint  and 
guidance  of  clear  heads,  when  they  pour  out  their 
love  upon  an  unsympathizing  world.  Love  for 
Christ  implies  love  for  ' '  the  church,  which  is  His 


J 

122  HISTORY   OF 

body  :  "and  love  for  the  church  as  an  emotion,  may 
spread  itself  like  thin  air  over  all  Christendom  :  but 
when  it  resolves  itself  into  direct  effort  to  edify  the 
body  of  Christ,  it  intelligently  seeks  channels 
through  which  it  can  exert  the  greatest  force  upon 
the  wheels  of  christian  activity  and  usefulness. 

The  justness  of  these  remarks  will  appear  in  the 
consideration  of  these  five  particulars  in  which 
the  respective  Presb}'terian  and  Congregational 
orbits  intersected  rather  than  coincided. 

I.  MINISTERIAL  EDUCATION.— Thorough 
Education  of  Candidates  for  the  Ministry,  and  the 
Work  of  Missions,  were  the  two  Pillars,  "  Jachin 
and  Boaz  "  set  up  at  the  very  threshold  of  the 
temple  of  this  Presbytery.  By  one  "God  should 
establish,"  and  by  the  other  "He  would  give 
strength. ' ' 

Its  Candidates  for  the  Ministry  were  instructed 
by  settled  ministers  appointed  for  the  purpose. 
They  were  required  to  attend  the  meetings  of 
Presbytery — they  were  named  by  contributing 
"  Cent  Societies,"  as  well  as  when  collections  were 
taken  for  Ministerial  Education  in  the  churches  ; — 
and  if  possible  this  cause  was  nearer  than  any 
other  to  the  heart  of  the  Presb3^tery.  Their  action 
in  1809,  respecting  the  proposed  Theological 
Seminary  at  Princeton,'''  is  very  significant  of  the 
jealousy  with  which  this  interest  of  the  education 
of  their  candidates  was  reo-arded. 


'&' 


See  p.  79. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 23 

In  1815,  the  "American  Education  Society" 
was  organized  under  the  segis  of  the  Plan  of  Union, 
and  received  the  support  of  Presbyterians  and 
Congregationalists.  Scarcely  was  it  in  operation 
before  the  General  Assembly  took  steps  which  led 
to  the  organization  of  the  ' '  Presbyterian  Educa- 
tion Society  of  New  York  City"  in  1818,  and 
of  the  ' '  Presbyterian  Board  of  Education  ' '  in 
1819. 

The  Presbytery  of  Hudson,  17  Nov.  1819, 
organized  a  board  of  education  auxiliary  to  the 
Assembly's  Board.  The  first  article  of  its  consti- 
tution provided  that  "all  the  pastors  and  one  lay- 
man from  each  congregation"  should  constitute 
said  board.  Provision  was  even  made  for  anni- 
versary exercises  at  each  spring  meeting  of  Presby- 
tery. In  three  years  it  was  found  that  there  was 
"no  prospect  of  a  sufficient  union  of  sentiment 
and  concert  of  action  to  warrant  the  hope  of  suc- 
cess of  this  plan."  Whereupon  it  was  dissolved, 
and  each  pastor  was  ' '  recommended  to  preach  on 
the  subject  and  solicit  a  collection  for  the  Educa- 
tion Fund  of  the  Presbytery.  ' ' 

In  1828,  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Education 
reported  to  the  Assembly  "that  ninety  Presbyteries 
were  auxiliary,  but  among  them  '  the  Presbytery 
of  HUDSON  '  were  conducting  their  educational 
concerns  Presby terially  as  formerly. ' '  '='■  Evidently, 
opinion  divided  between  denominational  and  vol- 


Min.  Gen.  Assembly,  1828.     p.  265. 


124  HISTORY   OF 

untary  agencies,  had  at  that  time  driven  this  Pres- 
bytery back  to  their  original  method  of  providing 
for  the  education  of  their  own  candidates.  On  i 
Oct.  1833,  Presbytery  again  Resolved  :  To  become 
auxiliary  to  the  "General  Assembly's  Board  of 
Education. ' ' 

2.  HOME  MiSvSIONS.  —  "  The  Assembly's 
Standing  Committee  on  Missions,"  of  1802,  was 
erecSled  into  a  "  Board  "  in  18 16.  Ten  years  later, 
in  1826,  "The  American  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety," was  organized,  embracing  the  six  or  seven 
Congregational  Missionary  Societies  of  New  Eng- 
land, the  Reformed  Dutch  and  the  Presbyterians. 
"  Seventy  of  the  one  hundred  and  twenty-six,  were 
Presbyterians,  "t  Its  popularity  well  nigh  over- 
whelmed the  Assembly's  Board.  In  1828,  how- 
ever, the  friends  of  the  Board  rallied,  and  in  spite 
of  much  pressure  against  it,  secured  the  passage  of 
a  Resolution  which  declared  that  "the  Board 
already  possessed  the  power  to  manage  all  the  Mis- 
sionary operations  of  the  General  Assembly. ' '  An 
address  to  the  churches  stated  that  "a  greater  part 
of  the  ^  missionary  concerns  of  the  church  have 
passed  into  other  hands. "  "A  large  proportion  of 
our  members,  dissatisfied  with  existing  arrange- 
ments have  not  contributed  to  any  Missionary 
Funds. "  "  Our  church  can  be  stirred  to  far  greater 
exertions  in  the  Missionary  Cause,  by  her  own 
officers  and  agents,  than  by  any  whom  she  does 


t  Rev.  H.  B.  Smith,  D.D.     "Church  in  America,"  p.  75,  d. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 25 

not  appoint  and  who  owe  her  no  responsibility." 
' '  The  Board  should  not  be  censured  for  what  the 
church  has  not  enabled  it  to  do." 

Ringing  words  those,  with  no  uncertain  meaning  ! 

The  following,  adopted  by  the  Presbytery  of 
Hudson  on  21  April  1831,  shows  a  vivid  con- 
sciousness of  the  existing  state  of  things,  and  a 
conviction  by  the  majority  that  each  denomina- 
tion can  do  more  work  and  do  it  better,  alone. 
A  reversal  of  the  old  motto  so  as  to  read  "United 
we  fall,  divided  we  stand." 

"Resolved:  i.  That  as  a  Presbytery  we  cor- 
dially approve  of  the  object  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly's Board  of  Missions,  as  identified  with  the  best 
interests  of  our  church  and  country,  and  will  cheer- 
fully sustain  its  operations  by  our  exertions  and 
influence.  2.  That  we  recommend  the  formation 
of  '  Home  ]Missionary  Associations  auxiliary  to  the 
General  Assembly's  Board  of  Missions '  under  the 
direction  of  the  particular  Session  of  each  church, 
not  intei^fering  at  the  same  time  ivith  the  zvishes  of 
those  who  prefer  the  ^American  Home  Missionary 
Society '  as  the  channel  of  their  exertions  on  this 
subject  y 

On  30  x\pril  1835,  Presbytery  donated  "all  the 
money  in  the  Missionary  Fund,  to  the  Assembly's 
Board  of  Missions. " 

3.  CHURCH  POLITY.— The  spirit  of  courtesy 
and  mutual  confidence,  which  was  of  the  very 
essence  of  the  Plan  of  Union,  was  found  to  open 
the  door  to  abuse.     The  permission   for  a  Deacon 


126  HISTORY   OF 

or  Committeeman,  to  sit  and  vote  as  a  member  of 
Presbytery,  Synod  or  Assembly,  came  to  be  chal- 
lenged as  unconstitutional,  when  such  votes  be- 
came numerous  enough  to  hold  the  balance  of 
power.  Several  test  cases  occurred  in  the  first  half 
of  this  period.  On  the  minutes  of  1830,  is  recorded 
a  Resolution  of  the  ' '  General  Association  of  Massa- 
chusetts, "  "  waiving  the  privilege  of  their  delegates 
voting  in  the  General  Assembly,  and  regretting 
that  their  way  of  receiving  candidates  and  licen- 
tiates, was  not  satisfactory  to  the  General  Assem- 
bly." 

Christian  Courtesy  was  supposed  to  require 
Presbyteries  to  receive  members  of  Associations, 
and  vice  versa^  "upon  the  credit  of  their  constitu- 
tional testimonials."  Men  contemplating  settle- 
ment in  any  part  of  the  ever-widening  Missionary 
field  could  first  secure  ordination  at  home.  Ordi- 
nation ' '  sine  tittilo ' '  became  a  custom.  Strict  as 
this  Presbytery  had  previously  been,  in  this  period 
they  ordained  ^^  sine  titido^''  no  fewer  than  six 
between  Nov.  1823  ^^^  C)ct.  1834,  although  but 
one  of  them  purposed  entering  a  field  where  there 
was  no  Presbytery  to  perform  this  function.  With 
"constitutional  testimonials"  secured,  the  candi- 
date had  a  certificate  of  admission  to  any  Associa- 
tion or  Presbytery  or  Synod,  and  was  authorized  to 
exercise  the  functions  and  enjoy  the  privileges  of  a 
minister,  whether  engaged  in  the  active  work  of 
the  ministry  or  not.  Evil  resulted  and  grew  to 
such   an   extent   that  a    long   and    most    startling 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  127 

memorial  on  the  "  inefficiency  of  the  ministry  " 
was  sent  to  the  General  Assembly  in  1834,  from 
the  "East  Hanover  Presbytery."  The  same 
Assembly  left  clear  evidence  of  divided  sentiment 
in  adopting,  one  day,  two  resolutions :  one,  earn- 
estly recommending  Presbyteries  not  to  ordain 
''''  sine  titulo^^^  and  the  other,  "  respectfully  request- 
ing Councils  or  Consociations  to  use  their  counsel 
and  influence  to  prevent  such  ordinations."  Then, 
eight  days  later,  Resolving,  that  a  due  regard  to 
order,  and  the  bonds  of  brotherhood,  require,  that 
ministers, — should  be  received  on  their  "constitu- 
tional testimonials."  And  three  days  later  still, 
recording  in  a  vigorous  protest  ' '  that  the  above 
resolution  is  in  conflict  with  the  right  of  a  Presby- 
tery- to  judge  of  the  qualifications  of  its  own  mem- 
bers,"— "  exposes  the  church  to  the  most  serious 
evils,"  and  "  puts  it  in  the  power  of  a  few  corrupt 
Presbyteries  to  corrupt  the  whole  church." 

On  this  subject  there  does  not  appear  to  be  a 
diversity  of  sentiment,  so  far  as  this  Presbyter}'  is 
concerned.  The  following  action  seems  to  have 
been  unanimous  :  ' '  Whereas,  it  is  the  right  of 
the  Presbytery  to  examine  all  persons  applying  to 
be  received  as  members,  therefore.  Resolved  : 
That  it  be  a  Standing  Rule  of  this  Presbytery 
to  examine  all  persons  applying  to  be  received  as 
members,  or  under  their  care,  toucliing  their  views 
of  the  doctrir.es  contained  in  the  Confession  of 
Faith."  x\nd  again,  23  April  1835,  Resolved: 
"That  this  Presbvterv  concur  in  the  recommenda- 


128  HISTORY   OF 

tioii  of  the  Geu.  Assembly  of  1834,  in  regard  to 
ordaining  candidates  ^  sine  tihilo^''  viz.  :  that  they 
dismiss  their  candidates  to  be  ordained  by  the 
Presbytery  in  whose  bounds  they  are  dismissed  to 
labor."  Diversity  of  sentiment  does  not  appear 
in  the  records. 

4.     FOREIGN    MISSIONS.— In    the   Foreign 
Missionary    Department    the    same    difference    of 
opinion  arose  and  from  the  same  cause.    The  "  A. 
B.  C.  F.  M."  was  organized  on  29  June  1810,  and 
incorporated  in  181 2. 

The  first  distinctively  Presbyterian  Foreign 
Missionary  Society,  was  the  Synod  of  Pittsburgh 
organized  as  such  in  1831,  into  the  "Western 
Foreign  Missionary  Society. "  On  18  April  1833, 
the  Presbyter}^  of  Hudson  Resolved  :  ' '  That  in 
reliance  upon  the  aid  and  blessing  of  the  Great 
Head  of  the  church  this  Presbytery  will  undertake 
to  support  one  Missionar}^  in  a  foreign  land  who  shall 
be  under  the  care  of  the  '  W.  F.  M.  Society,'  and 
at  the  same  time  a  member  of  this  Presbytery." 
"Rev.  William  Plain  was  appointed  a  committee 
to  correspond  with  the  said  '  W.  F.  M.  Society.'  " 
On  12  Sept.  1833,  Mr.  James  Wilson,  a  licentiate 
of  the  "  Presbytery  of  Redstone,"  signified  his 
willingness  to  devote  his  life  to  the  work  of 
Foreign  Missions,  and  Presbytery  being  ' '  satisfied 
with  his  qualifications  for  the  work  as  far  as  they 
had  become  acquainted  with  him,"  Resolved  : 
"That  this  Presbytery  are  willing  to  undertake  his 
support  as  a  Foreign  Missionary  under  the  direc- 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 29 

tion  of   the    '  W.    F.    M.    Society,'   provided    Mr. 
Wilson  become  a  member  of  this  Presbytery. ' ' 

On  I  Oct.  1833,  Presbytery  Resolved:  ''That 
the  several  Sessions  be  requested  to  make  special 
efforts  to  raise  funds  to  enable  Presbytery  to  meet 
their  pledge  to  the  W.  F.  M.  Society ' '  to  support 
one  Missionary  in  the  Foreign  field. 

On  10  Sept.  1834,  Mr.  James  Wilson  was  re- 
ceived, arrangements  were  made  for  his  ordina- 
tion "as  a  missionary  to  the  heathen," — at 
Goshen,  on  20  Oct.  next,  and  a  "committee  of 
three  members  of  Presbytery  was  appointed  to 
accompany  our  young  brother,  James  Wilson,  to 
the  vessel  which  is  to  convey  him  from  his  native 
land,  at  the  time  of  his  embarkation." 

The  general  x\ssembly  of  1835,  appointed  a 
committee  to  confer  with  the  "Synod  of  Pitts- 
burgh "  in  relation  to  a  transfer  of  the  "  W.  F. 
M.  Society  "  to  the  Assembly  and  authorized  that 
committee  to  ratify  and  confirm  the  transfer,  if 
the  Synod  approved.  The  committee  reported  in 
1836,  that  the  transfer  had  been  made  ;  but  that 
Assembly  refused  "to  carry  the  stipulation  into 
effect  "  by  a  vote  of  106  to  no  ;  and  one  of  the 
reasons  assigned  for  refusing  was  ' '  the  settled  be- 
lief of  the  majority  of  the  Assembly,  that  the 
operations  of  the  '  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  '  within  the 
bounds  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  present  the 
best  arrangement  for  the  promotion  of  the  cause 
9 


130  HISTORY   OF 

of  Missions  by  our  churches."*  On  10  Sept.  fol- 
lowing, "Rev.  Daniel  T.  Wood,  Treasurer  for  the 
Presbytery,  in  behalf  of  the  '  W.  F.  M.  Society, ' 
resigned  that  office,  and  Rev.  Charles  Cummins 
was  immediately  appointed  in  his  place  ;"  show- 
ing the  same  diversity  of  sentiment  in  the  Presby- 
tery that  these  acts  of  the  Assembly  exhibited. 
5.  DOCTRINE.— In  the  "Plan  of  Union," 
one  of  the  partners  had  an  open  door  through 
which  error  might  enter,  but  possessed  neither 
authority  to  drive  it  out  nor  power  to  shut  the 
door.  "  The  new  divinity  became  predominant  in 
the  churches  formed  under  the  "  Plan  of  Union,  "f 
The  other  partner  became  alarmed.  This  factor, 
of  error  in  doctrine,  appeared  so  to  vitiate  every 
other  member  of  the  equation  as  to  produce  the 
conviction  that  the  good  and  true  result  proposed 
in  1 80 1,  "to  prevent  alienation  and  promote  union 
and  harmony,"  could  never  be  reached.  New 
doctrines  or  unfamiliar  statements  of  old  doctrines 
led  to  scenes  of  intense  excitement  in  church 
courts,  and  to  unparalelled  religious  controversies 
which  permeated  the  churches  and,  as  many  a  pas- 
tor found,  made  a  man's  foes  "those  of  his  own 
(church)  household."  No  details  need  be  entered 
into  here.  The  records  of  successive  General  As- 
semblies contain  protests,  and  answers  to  protests, 
memorials,  and  addresses  to  the  church,  in 
extenso.       The    Presbytery    of    Hudson    11    Sept. 


*  Mill,  of  Gen.  Assembly,  1836,  p.  293. 
t  H.  B.  Smith,  p.  78,  a. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  I3I 

1834,  Resolved:  "That  without  expressing  an 
opinion  in  regard  to  other  portions  of  said  docu- 
ment this  Presbytery  concur  in  the  testimony 
borne  against  doctrinal  errors  in  the  document 
styled  '  Act  and  Testimony '  signed  by  sundry 
ministers  and  elders  in  the  minority  of  the  last 
General  Assembly." 

These  five  essential  spheres  of  Christian  En- 
deavor, presenting  each  its  own  peculiar  obstacle 
to  concert  of  action,  were  constituent  elements  of 
the  Plan  of  Union.  Men  accustomed  to  look  to 
the  end  of  things  and  to  shape  present  action  by 
such  forecast,  judged  it  wiser  to  abolish  the  Plan 
itself:  deeming  THAT  plan  of  union  the  cause, 
of  which  diversity  of  opinion  in  these  particulars 
was  the  proximate  and  division  the  ultimate  EF- 
FECT. 

While  a  majority  of  the  Assembly  of  1834, 
Resolved  :  "  That  it  is  inexpedient  and  undesirable 
to  abrogate  or  interfere  with  the  Plan  of  Union," 
the  minority  protested  against  whatever  ' '  tended 
to  render  permanent  that  Plan,  which  we  consider 
plainly  and  palpably   unconstitutional." 

The  Assembly  of  1835,  advised  that  the  Plan  of 
Union  be  abrogated  and  the  Assembly  of  1837 
abrogated  it. 

This  having  been  done,  that  Assembly  declared 
four  Synods  comprising-  about  thirty  Presbyteries, 
formed  under  the  Plan  of  Union  to  be  no  part  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  proceeded  to  adjust 


132  HISTORY   OF 

the  entire  benevolent  work  of  the  church  npon  a 
strictly  denominational  basis. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1838,  met  in  the 
Seventh  Church  of  Philadelphia,  refused  to  enroll 
commissioners  from  any  Presbytery  in  those  four 
Synods  :  and  another  Assembly,  embracing  the 
rejected  commissioners,  organizing  promptly  in  the 
aisles,  immediately  adjourned  to  the  First  Church. 
Thus  there  came  to  be  two  ecclesiastical  bodies, 
each  claiming  to  be  "  The  Gknerai.  Assembly 
OF  THE  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United 
States  of  America  : "  one  in  the  Seventh 
Church,  moderated  by  Rev.  William  vS.  Plumer, 
D.D.,  the  other,  in  the  First  Church,  moderated 
by  Rev.  Samuel  Fisher.  D.D. 

On  II  Sept.  1838,  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson 
Resolved  :  ' '  That  we  recognize  and  continue  to 
adhere  to  the  Assembly  the  sessions  of  which  its 
commissioners  attended  in  May  last,  and  of  which 
.the  Rev.  William  S.  Plumer,  D.D.,  was  moderator, 
as  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  U.  S.  of  A."  The  vote  was  re- 
corded and  stood,  yeas,  25  ;  nays,  8  ;  non  liquet, 
3.  After  due  notice.  Rev.  William  Timlow  pre- 
sented the  following  protest:  "The  undersigned 
members  of  the  Hudson  Presbytery  respectfully 
protest  against  the  act  of  the  Presbytery  receiving 
a  paper  or  book  claiming  to  be  '  The  Minutes 
of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  America,' 
which  we  do  not  acknow^edo^e  to  be  the  Minutes 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  1 33 

of  said  Assembly  for  the  following  reasons,  viz.  : 

"  I.  Because  said  paper  or  book  acknowledges 
only  a  part  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
United  States. 

"  2.  Because  said  book  or  paper  assumes  the 
authority  of  commanding  the  Presbytery  to  act  on 
a  basis  unknown  to  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

' '  Signed  :  Daniel  Crane,  William  Timlow,  Daniel 
T.  Wood,  Isaac  C.  Beach,  Elias  R.  Fairchild, 
ministers  ;  Joseph  Decker,  Joseph  Little,  and 
Samuel  T.    Scott,   elders." 

Presbytery  Resolved  :  "That  the  paper  purport- 
ing to  be  a  protest  of  Daniel  Crane  and  others,  is  of 
such  a  nature  as  to  require  no  formal  answer  on 
the  part  of  this  Presbytery." 

The  plane  of  cleavage  through  the  General 
Assembly  of  1838,  necessarily  extended  through 
the  lower  court.  The  ' '  Synod  of  New  York  ' '  had 
no  sooner  met  on  16  Oct.  1838,  than  it  fell  apart 
and  became  two  bodies.  Eighty-seven  of  its 
members  avowed  their  adherence  to  the  Assembly 
that  met  in  the  Seventh  Church  Philadelphia. 
Thirty-five  adhered  to  that  Assembly  which  went 
out  of  the  Seventh  Church  into  the  First.  Fifty- 
six  protesting  against  any  division,  withdrew  from 
both,  and  declared  themselves  to  be  the  Synod. 
The  two  latter  coalesced,  and  among  them,  were 
those  ministers  and  elders  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Hudson,  who  had  signed  the  protest  of  Mr.  Timlow 
on  II  Sept.  By  this  part  of  the  Synod,  the  five 
ministers  and  eight  elders  were  recognized  as  the 


134  HISTORY   OF 

"  Presbytery  of  Hudson,"  and  were  directed  to 
meet  on  27  Nov.  1838,  at  Ridgebury.  They  met 
and  proceeded  to  business,  recording  the  names  of 
the  other  ministers  among  the  "  absentees,"  which 
the}^  continued  to  do  until  on  21  April  1841,  the 
clerks  were  instructed  to  omit  them.  * 

The  other  part  of  the  Synod,  Resolved  :  "That 
all  the  Presbyteries  be  instructed  to  see  that  no 
ministers  be  considered  as  their  members  unless 
they  shall  previously  have  expressed  their  adher- 
ence to  the  Assembl}^  which  met  and  held  its  ses- 
sions in  the  Seventh  Presbyterian  Church  Phila- 
delphia, in  May  last  ;  and  also  to  exercise  their 
watch  and  care  that  as  far  as  possible  all  the 
churches  may  be  preserved." 

On  16  April  1839,  this  Resolution  was  read 
in  the  Presbytery  convened  at  Goshen  and  ' '  laid 
on  the  table. ' '  On  1 1  June  it  ' '  was  taken  from 
the  table  ' '  and  in  accordance  therewith  the  follow- 
ing was  adopted  :  ' '  Whereas,  Daniel  Crane,  Arte- 
mus  Dean,  William  Timlow,  Daniel  T.  Wood, 
Isaac  C.  Beach  and  Klias  R.  Fairchild,  ministers, 
have  seceded  from  the  '  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  U.  S.  A.'  therefore  Resolved:  'That  the 
names  of  said  ministers  be  and  hereby  are  stricken 
from  the  roll  of  this  Presbytery."  And  further  : 
"Whereas,  Church  Sessions  in  the  congregations 
of  Amity,  Chester,  Middletown,  Montgomery, 
Ridgebury  and  Unionville  have  united  with  others 


-  Min.  of  Presb.  (N.  S.)     Vol.  i,  p.  82. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 35 

in  forming  and  maintaining  another  Ecclesiastical 
Body,  which  they  presume  to  denominate  the 
' '  Presbytery  of  Hudson, ' '  therefore  Resolved :  That 
said  Sessions  be  informed  that  unless  they  shall  at 
our  next  stated  meeting  satisfactorily  explain  their 
disorderly  conduct,  the  Presbytery  will  proceed  to 
take  order  in  the  case." 

On  II  Sept.  1839,  the  above  Resolution  was 
taken  up,  and  after  hearing  statements  from  elders 
present  from  Amity  and  Middletown,  and  also 
discussing  the  subject  to  some  extent,  the  Resolu- 
tion was  "  laid  on  the  table,"  until  the  next  stated 
meeting. 

On  22  April  1840,  the  resolution  respecting  the 
above  named  six  churches  was  taken  up  and  again 
laid  on  the  table.  "  Bethlehem  was  added  to  the 
list  and  its  Session  cited  to  answer  at  the  next 
meeting,  for  their  disorderly  conduct."  On  9 
Sept.  1840,  it  was  Resolved  :  "That  the  names  of 
the  churches  of  Amity,  Bethlehem,  Chester,  Mid- 
dletown, Montgomery,  Ridgebury  and  Unionville  be 
stricken  from  the  roll."  "Rev.  Messrs.  McCartee 
and  Blain  were  appointed  a  committee  to  give 
'  Certificates  of  Dismission  '  to  any  of  the  mem- 
bers of  said  churches." 

This  completed  the  Fourth  Division  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Hudson,  and  the  year  1840  may  be 
regarded  as  the  beginning  of  the  Fourth  Period  of 
its  History. 


IV.    PERIOD  OF  DUAL  EXISTENCE. 

i84( 


CHAPTER  XL 

BRIEF  RECAPITULATION. — ROLL  OF  EACH  PRES- 
BYTERY.— SKETCHES  OF  THE  CHURCHES,  CON- 
TINUED. 

The  roll  of  ministers,  which  in  1820,  contained 
fourteen  names,  was  in  1840,  increased  to  twenty- 
eight.  To  the  roll  of  twenty-one  churches,  eleven 
had  been  added.  Of  these,  Bethany,  Carbondale, 
Honesdale  and  Mt.  Pleasant  had  been  set  off  on  one 
side,  and  Nyack  and  Greenbush  on  the  other. 
Blooming  Grove  had  voluntarily  severed  its  pre- 
carious attachment,  and  Forestburgh  had  become 
extinct.  Rondout  had  just  been  stricken  from  the 
roll. 

There  remained  twenty-three, — to  which  number 
we  may  add  Florida  2nd,  Westtown  2nd,  and 
Denton,  formed  in  the  interval  between  the  division 
of  the  General  Assembly  in  1838,  and  the  last  offi- 
cial adl  which  completed  the  division  of  the  Pres- 
byter}^ in  April  1840. 

The  aggregate  membership  of  these  twenty-six 
churches  was  3,547. 

(136) 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 37 

These    twenty-eight   ministers    and    twenty-six 
churches  were  arranged  in  two  rolls,  as  follows  : 

PRESBYTERY   OF   HUDSON,  O.  S. 

MINISTERS.  CHURCHES. 

Rev.  Methuselah  Baldwin,  P.  .  Scotchtown. 

John  Boyd,  W.  C. 

Charles  Cummins,  W.  C. 

Thomas  Holliday,  S.  S.  .  Westtown. 

Benjamin  VanKeuren,  P.,  Centerville. 

John  J.  Thompson,  S,  S. ,  Monroe. 

William  Plain,    P.  .    .    .  Goodwill. 

Samuel  Pelton,  W.  C. 

James  R.  Johnson,  W.  C. 

John  H.   Leggett,   P.  .    .  Hopewell. 
.  Ralph  Bull,   S.   S.  .    .    .  Milford. 

William  G.  Johnstone,  P. ,  Deer  Park. 

Edward  D.  G.  Prime,  co-pastor. 

Gershom  Williams,  W.  C. 

Edwin  Downer,  W.  C. 

James  Russel,  W.  C. 

James  Adams,  P Monticello. 

James  Wilson. 

Cochecton,    vacant. 

Florida,  2nd, 

Goshen, 

Haverstraw, 

Hempstead, 

Liberty, 

White  Lake, 


138  HISTORY   OF 

PRESBYTERY   OF    HUDSON,   N.   S. 
MINISTERS.  CHURCHES. 

Rev.  William  Timlow,   P.  .    .  Amity. 

Daniel  T.   Wood,   P.  .    .  Middletown. 

Elias  R.  Fairchild,  W.  C. 

Artemas  Dean,   P.  .    .    .  Bethlehem. 

Isaac  C.  Beach,  P.  .    .    .  Chester. 

Daniel  Crane,  W.  C. 

William    Y.    Miller,   P.  .  Ridgebury. 

Obadiah  M.  Johnson,  P.  .  Denton. 

George  Pierson,  P.  .    .    .  Florida. 

Robert  G.  Armstrong,  P. ,  Montgomery. 

Unionville,  vacant. 

Westtown,         ' ' 

The  individual  history  of  the  churches  continued 
in  alphabetical  order,  is  as  follows  : 

I.  AMITY.— On  21  April  1858,  Rev.  William 
Timlow  was  released  from  his  pastoral  relation. 
On  21  Sept.  following,  Mr.  Bdsall  Ferrier  was 
received  as  a  licentiate  from  the  "Presbytery  of 
New  York,"  and  on  the  28th  was  ordained  and  in- 
stalled. On  18  April  i860,  Mr.  Ferrier  was 
released  and  dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of  North 
River."  On  3  April  1861,  Rev.  Henr}^  J.  Acker 
was  received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Long  Island, ' ' 
and  installed.  On  21  Oct.  1863,  Mr.  Acker  hav- 
ing been  ' '  drafted ' '  to  serve  in  the  army,  was 
recommended  for  a  Chaplaincy.  His  application 
was  successful,  and  at  a  special  meeting  on  31  Jan. 
1865,    ^^    was  released.       On   2   Mar.    1869,    ^^- 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 39 

Acker  was  dismissed  to  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  North 
River."  On  18  April  1864,  Rev.  Daniel  O.  Tim- 
low  was  received  from  the  ' '  Fourth  Presbytery  of 
New  York,"  and  on  6  June  1865,  installed.  This 
pastorate  continued  nearly  twenty  years,  and  was 
terminated  by  his  death  18  Jan.  1885. 

2.  BETHLEHEM.— On  19  April  1842,  Rev. 
Artemas  Dean  was  released  from  his  long  pas- 
torate of  twenty-eight  years.  On  18  April  1843, 
Rev.  Jonathan  B.  Hubbard  was  received  from  the 
"Presbytery  of  Delaware,"  and  24  Oct.  follow- 
ing, was  installed.  On  22  April  1846,  Mr.  Hub- 
bard was  released,  and  on  28  Sept.  1847,  dismissed 
to  the  "Presbytery  of  Troy."  On  4  Feb.  1847, 
Rev.  John  N.  Lewis  was  received  from  the  "  Pres- 
bytery of  North  River,  and  installed.  On  19  July 
1853,  Mr.  Lewis  was  released  and  on  21  Sept.  1858, 
dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of  Hudson,"  (O.  S.) 
On  I  Aug.  1854,  at  a  special  meeting  of  Presbytery, 
Alpheus  Goodman,  M.  D.,  elder,  from  the  Bethle- 
hem Church,  requested  ' '  that  the  congregation  of 
Bethlehem  might  be  dismissed  in  order  to  place 
themselves  under  the  care  of  the  ' '  Presbytery  of 
North  River. "  *  It  appeared  that  ' '  as  the  congre- 
gation had  never  been  called  together  to  consider 
the  change,  the  application  was  not  in  regular 
form."  The  Presbytery  therefore  Resolved  : 
"  That  no  action  can  be  taken." 


*  Min.  of  Presb.     N.  S.     Vol.  ii,  p.  i8. 


140  HISTORY   OF 

On  27  Sept.  it  was  ascertained  that  "  Bethlehem 
congregation  had  become  connected  with  a  Pres- 
bytery not  in  correspondence  with  us."t 

3.  CENTREVILIvB.— On  10  Mar.  1846,  Rev. 
Benjamin  Van  Keuren  was  released  from  Centre- 
ville  and  dismissed  to  the  "North  River  Presby- 
tery." On  9  Sept.  following,  Mr.  Thaddeus 
Wilson  was  licensed,  and  on  28  Sept.  1847, 
ordained  and  installed.  On  16  Nov.  1852,  Mr. 
Wilson  was  released  and  dismissed  to  the  "  Pres- 
bytery of  New  Brunswick."  On  24  Jan.  1854, 
Rev.  Oscar  Harris  was  received  from  the  ' '  Presby- 
ter}^ of  Elizabethtown, "  and  installed.  On  9 
Sept.  1863,  Mr.  Harris  was  released.  Supplies 
were  furnished  by  Presbytery  until  19  April 
1865,  when  Rev.  Holloway  W.  Hunt,  of  the  "Pres- 
bytery of  Elizabethtown,"  was  appointed  Stated 
Supply  for  one  year.  This  relationship  was  re- 
newed from  year  to  year  until  after  the  Reunion. 

4.  CHESTER.— On  2  Dec.  1845,  Rev.  Isaac 
C.  Beach  was  released,  and  on  22  April  following, 
was  dismissed  to  the  "  Presbyterv'  of  North  River." 
On  27  Jan.  1846,  Rev.  James  W.  Wood  was  re- 
ceived from  the  "  Presbytery  of  Rockaway,"  and 
installed.  He  discharged  the  duties  of  a  faithful 
and  successful  pastorate  until  17  Sept.  1862,  when 
he  was  released,  and  on  19  Sept.  1865,  dismissed 
to  the  "  Fourth  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia." 

On  II  Mar.  1863,  Mr.  Thomas  Nichols,  a  licen- 
tiate of  the  ' '  Presby ter}^  of  Tioga, ' '  was  received, 

t  Ibid.,  p.  24  . 


HUDSON    PRKSBYTERY.  141 

ordained  and  installed.  Mr.  Nichols  continued  to 
serve  the  church  in  Chester  until  17  April  187 1, 
when  he  was  released,  and  on  19  Sept.  dismissed  to 
the  "North  Classis  of  Long  Island." 

5.  COCHECTON.— On  8  Mar.  1839,  inhabi- 
tants of  Cochecton  and  Damascus,  "among  whom 
there  was  no  officer  of  any  church,"  unanimously 
eledled  nine  trustees  of  the  ' '  Presbyterian  and 
Methodist  Episcopal  Society  of  the  Town  of 
Cochecton."  The  sum  of  $1,500,  was  raised  for 
building  a  meeting  house.  The  papers  secured  to 
the  Presbyterians  the  privilege  of  buying  the  rights 
of  the  Methodists  after  ten  years,  by  simply  return- 
ing the  amount  of  their  subscriptions.  On  20  Feb. 
1840,  the  meeting  house  was  dedicated,  free  of  debt. 
On  29  April  1855,  the  "First  Presbyterian  Church 
and  Congregation  of  Cochecton,"  was  organized, 
the  subscriptions  marked  "Methodist"  were  paid 
back,  and  on  11  April  1856,  that  partnership  ceas- 
ed. The  pulpit  was  supplied  by.  Rev.  George  K. 
McEwen,  1840-1841  ;.  William  Riddle,  of  "Pres- 
bytery of  Raritan,"  1 842-1 843  ;  supplies  every 
other  Sabbath,  b}^  Presbytery,  1844. 

On  15  April  1845,  Rev.  John  Mole  was  received 
from  the  "Presbytery  of  Susquehanna,"  having 
already  supplied  Cochecton  and  Callicoon  churches 
for  some  weeks.  On  22  April  1846,  the  sum  of 
$80,  was  assessed  upon  the  churches  for  ' '  sustain- 
ing Mr.  Mole  as  Stated  Supply"  at  those  two 
points.  *    A  similar  proposition  the  next  spring  was 

"  Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  vii,  pp.  159,  180. 


142  HISTORY   OF 

laid  on  the  table,  and  a  committee  "was  appointed 
to  visit  those  churches  and  devise  some  method 
for  adjusting  their  difficulties,  "t  The  committee 
reported  that  ' '  those  congregations  desired  the 
discontinuance  of  the  present  arrangement  for  sup- 
plying them  after  the  first  of  January  next." 

On  20  April  1848,  "division  and  strife  at  Cochec- 
ton  related  solely  to  the  continuance  of  Mr.  Mole 
as  Stated  Supply,  and  he  was  advised  and  directed 
to  cease  from  ministerial  labors  at  Cochecton."* 
Mr.  Mole  then  received  a  certificate  of  good  stand- 
ing, and  expressed  his  intention  of  traveling  beyond 
the  bounds  of  the  Presbytery.  On  12  Sept.  1849, 
this  certificate  was  returned,  and  his  name  restored  to 
the  roll.  In  that  year  he  was  tried  for  "unchristian 
and  unministerial  condudl,"  treated  with  great 
forbearance  and  consideration,  and  finally,  on  19 
June  1850,  by  the  unanimous  vote  of  Presbytery, 
he  was  ' '  suspended  from  the  functions  of  the  min- 
istry and  from  the  communion  of  the  church,  until 
he  repent."  Mr.  Mole's  appeal  to  the  Synod,  was 
sustained,  and  the  suspension  removed.  On  21 
April  1852,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery 
of  New  York  ; "  but  the  letter  not  being  used,  he 
was,  on  20  April  1853,  cited  to  answer  a  charge  of 
felony,  and  the  citation  was  repeated  in  June. 
On  13  Sept.  his  arrest  and  incarceration,  made  it 
impossible  to  serve  the  citation.  The  case  was 
referred  to  Synod.      But  his  couviction  and  sen- 


t  Ib'fl.  pp.  191,  210. 

*  Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  VI i,  pp.  221,  245. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  1 43 

tence  to  thirty  months'  imprisonment  in  Sing  Sing, 
justified  Presbytery  in  dropping  his  name  from  the 
roll. 

The  supplies  of  this  church,  so  far  as  ascertained, 
were  after  this.  Rev.  William  Huntting,  1851  ; 
Rev.  G.  K.  Mariner,  1852-1853. 

On  18  April  1854,  Rev.  Thomas  Mack  was 
received  from  the  "Presbytery  of  Philadelphia," 
and  appointed  vStated  Supply.  On  13  Sept.  follow- 
ing he  was  installed.  On  25  May  1859,  he  was 
released. 

Mr.  Krastus  Seymour,  a  licentiate  of  the  "Con- 
gregational Association  of  New  York  and  Brook- 
lyn," began  to  supply  them  in  i860,  and  on  16 
April  1 86 1,  he  was  received  and  appointed  supply 
for  one  year  at  Cochecton  and  Damascus.  On  24 
April  1862,  he  was  ordained  and  installed.  On  5 
Nov.  1863,  he  was  released,  and  on  17  April 
1866,  dismissed  to  the  "Fourth  Presbytery  of 
New  York."  The  name  of  Rev.  Samuel  Mur- 
dock  appears  among  the  supplies  of  the  next  two 
years.  On  19  April  1865,  Mr.  Tlieron  Brittain,  a 
licentiate  of  the  "  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick," 
having  for  several  months  preached  at  Cochecton, 
was  received,  and  on  16  IMay,  ordained  ^^  sine 
titiiloy  He  continued  as  Stated  Supply,  until  5 
Mar.  1872,  vWien  he  was  installed. 

6.  DEER  PARK.— On  27  April  1841,  Rev. 
William  G.  Johnstone  was  released  and  dismissed 
to  the  "  Presbytery  of  Pictou."  On  19  April 
1842,  Mr.  Edward  B.  Edgar  was  received  from  the 


144  HISTORY   OP 

"Presbytery  of  New  York,"  and  on  3  May,  or- 
dained and  installed.  He  was  released  on  the  i 
Mar.  1850,  and  dismissed  to  the  "  Presbytery  of 
Elizabeth."  On  10  Sept.  1850,  Mr.  Luther 
lyittell  was  received  as  a  licentiate  from  the 
"  Presbytery  of  Elizabethtown,"  and  on  the  25th, 
ordained  and  installed.  His  pastorate  continued 
until  3  Oct.    1881. 

7.  DENTON. — On  27  June  1839,  a  new  meet- 
ing house  was  dedicated  and  a  church  organized 
with  eight  members.  On  29  Oct.  Rev.  Obadiah 
M.  Johnson  v/as  received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery 
of  Rockaway,"  and  installed.  On  5  Feb.  1840, 
the  Session  v/as  directed  to  receive  twenty  mem- 
bers of  the  Goshen  Church  "on  their  application," 
they  having  complained  that  their  request  for 
letters  of  dismission  had  been  denied.  In  April 
they  reported  sixty-two  members.  Mr.  Johnson 
continued  for  thirty-four  years  faithfully  to  fulfill 
the  duties  of  the  pastoral  office,  and  was  released 
on  27  Oct.,  1873. 

Their  first  meeting  house  was  burned  on  i  Feb.^ 
1858.  A  new  and  more  commodious  one  of  brick 
was  erected  at  an  expense  of  $4,500,  and.  com- 
pleted so  speedily  as  to  be  dedicated  on  28  Dec. 
of  the  same  3^ear. 

8.  FLORIDA.— On  13  Aug.  1839,  Rev.  George 
Pierson  was  received  from  the  "Presbytery  of 
Rockaway,"  and  installed.  A  pastoral  relation 
which  continued  until  15  May   1878. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTKRY.  1 45 

9.  FLORIDA,  Second.— On  ii  Sept.  1839, 
the  following  action  was  taken  by  the  Presbytery 
convened  at  Goodwill.  "  Whereas,  it  appears  that 
a  portion  of  the  elders  and  other  members  of  the 
church  of  Florida  have — called  and  settled  a 
minister  over  them,  employing  in  such  settlement 
the  action  of  a  body  not  in  connection  with  the 
'  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  United  States  of  America,'  therefore  resolved, 
That  William  Smith  and  Daniel  Poppino^  elders, 
and  such  other  members  as  continue  to  adhere  to 
this  Presbytery,  are  hereby  recognized  and  declar- 
ed to  be  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Florida."* 
Supplies  were  appointed  until  14  Sept.,  when  Rev. 
Charles  Cummins,  D.D.,  was  installed.  On  18 
iVpril  1849,  ^r-  Cummins  was  released  and  on  14 
Sept.  1852,  dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of  Cedar." 
On  25  Sept.  1849,  Rev.  William  A.  Westcott  was 
installed  ;  and  on  15  May  i860,  he  was  released. 
On  17  April  1861,  Rev.  Kdsall  Ferrier  was  received 
from  the  "Presbytery  of  North  River,"  and  in- 
stalled. His  pastoral  relation  was  dissolved  on  13 
Sept.  1865.  On  17  Oct.  1866,  Rev.  Henry  A. 
Harlow  was  received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New 
Brunswick"  and  on  20  Nov.  following,  he  was  in- 
stalled. During  his  pastorate  the  meeting  house 
was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  twenty  pews. 

10.  GOODWILL.— On  15  April  1856,  Rev. 
David  Maclise  of  the  "  Presbytery  of  Albany,"  was 

•^  Mill,  of  Presb.     O.  S.     Vol.  vi,  p.  340. 
10 


146  HISTORY    OF 

called,  and  on  17  June  following,  he  was  received 
and  installed,  colleague  of  the  venerable  William 
Blain.  On  9  June  1857,  Mr.  Blain  died  at  the 
advanced  age  of  sevent3'-three  years,  and  Mr. 
Maclise  remained  sole  pastor  until,  on  26  April 
1869,  he  was  released  and  dismissed  to  the  "  Pres- 
bytery of  New  York."  Supplies  were  furnished 
until,  on  13  Oct.,  Rev.  James  M.  Dickson  was 
called.  On  15  Feb.  1870,  he  was  received  from 
the  "Presbytery  of  Newark,"  and  installed.  The 
membership  at  that  time  had  become  reduced  to 
ninety-five. 

11.  GOSHEN.— On  6  May  1840,  Rev.  Robert 
McCartee,  D.D. ,  was  received  from  the  "Second 
Presbytery  of  New  York,"  .and  installed.  On  31 
July  1849,  ^^  w^^  released  and  dismissed  to  the 
"  Associate  Reformed  Presbytery  of  New  York." 
On  16  Oct.  1849,  Rev.  William  D.  Snodgrass  was 
received  from  the  "  Presbytery  of  New  .York,"  and 
on  7  Nov.  following,  he  was  installed.  His  pas- 
torate was  long  and  peaceful  and  prosperous.  He 
^^.^  facile  princeps^  among  preachers.  And  those 
trained  under  his  ministry  were  able  "to  give  an 
answer  to  every  man  that  asked  a  reason  for  the 
hope  that  was  in  them." 

12.  HAVERSTRAW.*— On  23  June  1839,  a 
number  of  citizens  of  the  Town  of  Warren,  Rock- 
land Co.,  resolved  :  To  invite  Rev.  James  Hildreth 
to   preach   for   them.      The    "A.    H.  M.  Society" 


"  IvOCfil  History  by  Rev.  J.  J.  McMahon  ;  and  Beers'  History  of 
Rockland  County,  1884,  p.  166,  seq. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  1 47 

promised  $200,  in  addition  to  $300,  raised  by  them- 
selves, for  his  support.  On  10  Mar.  1840,  a  com- 
mittee from  the  ' '  Third  Presbytery  of  New  York, ' ' 
organized  the  "  Haverstraw  Presbyterian  Church," 
with  thirteen  members,  two  of  whom  were  consti- 
tuted elders.  Twelve  more  joined  on  the  5  April. 
Simultaneously  with  the  release  of  Rev.  Samuel 
Pel  ton  from  the  united  congregations  of  ' '  Hemp- 
stead and  Haverstraw,"  this  new  organization  re- 
solved to  hold  "morning  services  in  the  old  Pres- 
byterian Church  on  the  hill,  and  afternoon  services 
in  the  Village  of  Warren."  Within  four  years, 
these  services  resulted  in  the  addition  of  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty-nine  persons  to  the  membership. 
Here  is  the  vanishing  point  of  that  church  of 
Haverstraw,  whose  history  has  been  thus  far  re- 
corded in  these  pages.  This  organization,  by  the 
"Third  Presbytery  of  New  York,"  like  a  new  slide 
in  a  double  Camera,  comes  upon  our  vision  while 
we  are  gazing  upon  "  the  old  church  (of  eighty- 
two  members,)  on  the  hill,"  where  Mr.  Pelton's 
resignation  is  just  taking  place.  xA.s  .light  increases 
on  the  new,  the  old  fades,  and  we  wonder  what 
has  become  of  it.  ' '  Haverstraw, ' '  disappears  from 
the  pages  of  our  records,  and  appears  on  the  roll  of 
the  "  Third  Presbyter>^  of  New  York."  Shall  we 
break  the  continuity  of  its  history  for  this  reason  ? 
Let  us  rather  assume  a  divine  life,  back  of  and  in- 
dependent on  ecclesiastical  bodies,  which  lives,  and 
grows  and  flourishes  in  spite  of  all  the  changes  to 
which  human  infirmities  may  subject  it !     On  the 


148  HISTORY   OF 

day  of  Mr.  Pelton's  release,  22  April  1840,  "Hemp- 
stead" reported  thirty-six  members,  and  "  Haver-* 
straw ' '  eighty-two.  One  year  later,  ' '  Hempstead ' ' 
reported  seventy-six  members  and  "  Haverstraw  " 
disappears.  Did  forty  of  the  eighty-two  go  to 
' '  Hempstead, ' '  whose  new  pastor.  Rev.  John  N. 
Boyd,  was  installed  on  11  Nov.  1840,  and  the 
majority  of  forty-Zzt'r?,  merge  themselves  into  the 
new  organization  ?  It  seems  likely,  for  the  reason 
that  on  26  Feb.  1844,  and  in  "the  old  meeting 
house  on  the  hill,"  the  new  organization  instructed 
their  trustees  to  offer  Rev.  Samuel  Pelton  $300,  as 
payment  in  full  for  pastoral  services,  which  ended 
as  has  been  seen,  in  1840  ;  and  Mr.  Pelton  acqui- 
esced, and  gave  the  trustees  a  receipt  in  full.  * 

On  24  June  1845,  the  old  meeting  house  acquired 
a  new  lease  of  life.  The  pews  were  sold  to  the 
highest  bidder  above  the  rent,  payment  to  be  made 
semi-annually  in  advance.  But  the  time  came  to 
build  new.  The  last  service  was  held  in  the  old 
building  on  21  Nov.  1847.  It  was  then  bought  by 
Hlislia  Peck,  who  gave  a  more  eligible  site  for  a 
new  one.  After  being  used  as  a  barn,  this  relic  of 
a  past  age  was  burned. 

The  Rev.  James  Hildreth's  labors  ceased  on  4 
May  1848.  Rev.  Livingston  Willard  preached  one 
year,  during  which  on  8  Feb.  1849,  the  new  meet- 
ing  house   was    dedicated.     In    May    1850,    Rev. 


A  recognition  of  the  old  organization  on  the  part  of  the  new, 
and  an  assumption  by  the  new  of  the  pecuniary  obligations 
of  the  old. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  1 49 

James  H.  Trowbridge  became  their  minister,  re- 
signing his  charge  in  Nov.  1853.  On  7  Sept.  1854, 
Rev.  P.  G.  H.  Myers  was  installed,  and  on  30  Dec. 
1859,  he  was  released.  On  26  Nov.  1861,  Rev. 
Spencer  Marsh  was  installed,  and  closed  his  min- 
istry in  the  spring  of  1868.  On  6  Sept.  1868,  Rev. 
James  J.  McMahon,  pastor  at  Stony  Point,  became 
Stated  Supply,  and  so  continued  until  the  close  of 
1875,  when  he  was  released  from  Stony  Point,  and 
on  9  May  1876,  installed  pastor  of  this  "First 
Church  of  Haverstraw. " 

13.  HEMPSTEAD.— On  11  Nov.  1840,  Mr. 
John  N.  Boyd  was  ordained  and  installed.  On  20 
April  1852,  his  pastoral  relation  was  dissolved. 
On  19  April  1853,  Hempstead  and  Rockland  Lake 
churches  united  in  a  call  upon  Rev.  Abijah  Green. 
The  call  was  read  and  referred  to  a  committee, 
which  reported  against  its  prosecution  on  the 
ground  of  the  large  and  decided  minority  vote, 
and  the  congregations  were  ' '  urged  to  seek  for 
greater   unanimity   in    a    matter    so    important." 

On  17  Oct.  1854,  Rev.  Samuel  Kellogg  was  re- 
ceived from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Bedford, ' '  and 
became  Stated  Supply  until  April  (?)  1864,  after 
which  supplies  were  furnished  by  Presbytery  for 
several  years.  On  12  Sept.  1866,  a  call  upon  Rev. 
Thomas  Mack,  from  Hempstead,  was  read  and  laid 
upon  the  table,  pending  a  request  from  that  people, 
for  Presbytery  to  concur  with  them  in  asking  the 
Synod  to  transfer  them  to  the  ' '  Second  Presbytery 


150  HISTORY   OF 

of  New  York."     The  request  was  granted  and  the 
transfer  made. 

14.  HOPBWBlvIv.— On  26  Dec.  1855,  Rev. 
John  H.  Leggett  was  released.  On  17  June  1856, 
Rev.  Andrew  Johnston  was  received  from  the 
' '  x\ssociate  Reformed  Presbytery  of  Saratoga, ' '  and 
installed.  On  7  July  1866,  he  was  released  and 
dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of  St.  I^awrence." 

On  17  Oct.  1866,  Mr.  Benjamin  G.  Benedict,  a 
licentiate  of  the  "  Presbytery  of  Connecticut  "  was 
received,  and  seven  days  later  installed.  He  was 
released  on  15  Feb.  1870,  and  on  20  Oct.  1875,  he 
was  dismissed  to  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Chicago. ' ' 

15.  I^IBERTY.— On  30  Sept.  1840,  Mr.  James 
Petrie  was  ordained  and  installed.  In  1844,  there 
was  an  awakening,  in  which  no  fewer  than  seventy 
souls  were  added  to  the  membership.  On  13  Jan. 
1852,  Mr.  Petrie  was  released  and  dismissed  to  the 
' '  Presbytery  of  Elizabeth. ' ' 

On  28  Sept.  1852,  Rev.  John  N.  Boyd  was  in- 
stalled. On  28  Sept.  1858,  he  was  released  and  on 
14  Dec.  dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of  North- 
umberland." 

On  25  May  1859,  Rev.  Thomas  Mack  was  in- 
stalled. On  17  Oct.  1866,  he  was  released  and  on 
21  April  1868,  dismissed  to  the  "Second  Presby- 
tery of  New  York. ' ' 

On  22  April  1868,  Rev.  John  N.  Husted  was  re- 
ceived from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Monmouth, ' '  and 
on  10  June  installed. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  151 

16.  MIDDLETOWN.— On  i8  Aug.  1859,  Rev. 
Daniel  T.  Wood,  who  for  over  twenty-nine  years 
had  vServed  this  church,  was  released  by  the  Mas- 
ter's call  to  "  come  up  higher."  On  29  Nov.  fol- 
lowing, Rev.  Augustus  Seward  was  installed, 
whose  pastorate  continued  until  i  Oct.  1879. 

17.  MILFORD.  —  Rev.  Edward  Allen  was 
Stated  Supply  at  Milford  in  1 841-2.  Rev.  William 
Belden  in  1843-4.  Rev.  Charles  Milne,  after  sup- 
plying them  for  some  months,  was  received  from 
the  "Presbytery  of  Newton"  on  28  Sept.  1847, 
and  took  a  dismissal  to  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Albany, '  ^ 
on  18  July  1848. 

On  16  May  1849,  Mr.  Thomas  S.  Bradner  was 
licensed,  and  on  2  Oct.,  ordained  and  installed. 
On  19  Oct.  1852,  he  was  released  and  dismissed  to 
the  "  Presbytery  of  Bedford." 

On  18  April  1854,  Rev.  Isaac  Todd  was  received 
from  the  "Presbytery  of  Susquehanna"  and  ap- 
pointed Stated  Supply.  He  remained  until  16 
April  1 86 1,  when  he  was  dismissed  to  the  "  Pres- 
bytery of  Monmouth." 

From  July  1861,  until  his  death,  25  Sept.  1866, 
Rev.  Robert  Ransom  Kellogg,  a  member  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Hudson,  N.  S.,  was  Stated  Supply. 

Rev.  Robert  H.  Beattie  was  received  from  the 
"  Presbyter}^  of  North  River"  on  11  Sept.  1867, 
and  was  supply  from  the  previous  January,  until  on 
3  May  1870,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  "  Classis  of 
Orange. ' ' 


152  HISTORY   OF 

18.  MONROE.— On  22  April  1846,  a  portion 
of  the  church  and  congregation  of  Monroe  re- 
quested a  discontinuance  of  the  services  of  Rev. 
John  Jay  Thompson  ;  and  Presbytery  recommended 
that  he  remain  until  the  next  meeting  of  Presby- 
tery, when  his  connection  with  them  should  cease. 

On  7  March  1848,  Mr.  Daniel  N.  Freeland  was 
received  as  a  licentiate  from  the  "  Presbytery  of 
Philadelphia,"  and  ordained  and  installed.  A 
new  house  of  worship  was  erected  in  the  village 
and  dedicated  15  Feb.  1853.  Mr.  Freeland  con- 
tinued in  the  pastorate  at  Monroe  until  23  Oct. 
1 881,  when  he  was  released  and  dismissed  to  the 
' '  Presb3^tery  of  Westchester. ' ' 

19.  MONTGOMERY.— On  5  Feb.  1840,  Rev. 
Robert  G.  Armstrong  was  received  from  the 
"Presbytery  of  North  River"  and  installed.  On 
21  April  1841,  he  was  released.  On  28  Sept  1842, 
Rev.  E.  R.  Fairchild  v/as  dismissed  to  the  "Third 
Presbytery  of  Philadelphia."  On  2  Feb.  1841, 
Rev.  W.  W.  Newell  was  received  on  examination 
and  installed.  On  28  Sept.  1847,  ^^^  ^^^^  released 
and  dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of  Onondaga." 
One  hundred  and  sixty-five  were  received  into  the 
church  during  his  ministry  ;  and  a  parsonage  was 
built. 

On  27  Sept.  1848,  Rev.  Elias  R.  Fairchild  was 
received  from  the  "Fourth  Presbytery  of  Phila- 
delphia," and  appointed  Stated  Supply.  Through 
the  liberality  of  General  Borland  in  donating  land 
for  a  Cemetery,  and  the  financial  skill  of  Dr.  Fair- 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 53 

child  in  connection  with  its  sale,  the  debt  of  $2,300 
was  lifted. 

On  4  Sept.  1850,  Rev.  Gideon  N.  Judd  was  re- 
ceived from  the  "Presbytery  of  Colmnbia  "  and 
installed.  He  died  in  the  pastoral  office  on  3 
March  i860,  and  was  bnried  in  Bloomfield,  N.  J. 
In  April  i860,  Rev.  E.  R.  Fairchild  again  became 
their  Stated  Supply. 

On  13  Aug.  1862,  Rev.  Joseph  McNulty  was 
received  from  the  ' '  Associate  Reformed  Presbytery 
of  Saratoga"  and  installed.  On  22  April  1868,  he 
was  released  and  dismissed  to  the  ' '  Presbytery  of 
Chippewa. ' '  There  were  fifty-five  additions  to  the 
church  from  the  world  in  his  time. 

On  23  Oct.  1868,  Rev.  Richard  Bentley  was  re- 
ceived from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Cincinnati, ' '  and 
on  10  Nov.,  installed.  On  21  Nov.  1871,  he  was 
released  and  dismissed  to  the  ' '  Presbytery  of 
Guelph,"  of  the  Canada  Presbyterian  Church. 
During  his  pastorate  $2,000  were  expended  in 
repairs  upon  the  church  and  parsonage. 

20.  MONTICElvIvO.— On  2  Oct.  1853,  Rev. 
James  Adams  was  released  from  a  twenty  years' 
pastorate.  He  died  7  Feb.  1857.  On  11  May 
1854,  Rev.  Richard  C.  Shimeall  was  received  from 
the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New  York ' '  and  installed. 
On  8  Sept.  1857,  ^^^^  congregation  requested  Pres- 
bytery to  release  them  from  this  relation.  On  7 
Oct.,  a  remonstrance,  signed  by  eighteen  members 
of  the  congregation,  was  received  ;  a  counter 
remonstrance  also  was  read,  and  all  parties  were 


154  HISTORY   OF 

heard.     The  Presbytery  then  resolved  by  a  vote  of 
nineteen  to  one,  to  dissolve  the  pastoral  relation. 

On  28  Sept.  1858,  Rev.  John  N.  Lewis  was  re- 
ceived from  the  Presbyter}^  of  Hudson,  (N.  S.)  and 
the  next  day  he  was  installed.  On  19  April  1859, 
Rev.  R.  C.  Shimeall  was  dismissed  to  the  ' '  Presby- 
tery of  New  York."  On  17  April  1866,  Mr.  Lewis 
was  released,  and  on  5  Oct.  following,  he  departed 
this  life. 

On  9  Sept.  1862,  Mr.  Samuel  B.  Dod  was  re- 
ceived as  a  licentiate  from  the  "  Presbytery  of  New 
Brunswick,"  and  ordained  and  installed  at  Monti- 
cello.  On  6  Oct.  1864,  he  was  released  and  dis- 
missed to  the  "Presbytery  of  Luzerne."  On  16 
May  1865,  Mr.  Robert  A.  Davison  was  received 
as  a  licentiate  from  the  "  Central  Presbytery^  of 
Philadelphia,"  ordained  and  installed.  On  9  Feb. 
1869,  ^^^  was  released  and  dismissed  to  the  "  Pres- 
bytery of  New  York." 

21.  RIDGEBURY.— On  27  Nov.  1838,  Mr. 
William  Y.  Miller  was  received  from  the  "Third 
Presbytery  of  New  York,"  as  a  licentiate,  and  or- 
dained ^^  sine  tituloy  On  2  May  1839,  he  was 
installed  at  Ridgebury.  On  28  Sept.  1847,  ^^ 
was  released,  and  on  26  Sept.  1849,  dismissed  to 
the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Chicago. ' ' 

The  pulpit  was  supplied  partly  by  Presbytery, 
and  for  six  months  in  1849,  ^7  ^  Rev.  Mr.  Kin- 
mor.  On  14  Oct.  1849,  Rev.  Augustus  Seward 
began  to  supply  the  pulpit  and  continued  until  the 
close  of  1 85 1. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 55 

On  20  April  1852,  Rev.  Clifford  S.  Arms  was 
received  from  the  ' '  Presby ter>^  of  Newark, ' '  and 
on  I  Dec.  of  that  year  was  installed.  His  pastor- 
ate ended  with  his  death,  in  Oct.  1863. 

On  21  Oct.  1863,  Rev.  Nathaniel  E.  Pierson 
was  received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Chemnng, ' ' 
and  on  8  Dec,  installed.  On  i  Jnly  1869,  he  was 
released  and  dismissed  to  the  "  Presbytery  of  Lake 
Superior." 

On  21  Sept.  1869,  Mr.  James  R.  Campbell  be- 
came the  Stated  Supply.  On  30  Nov.  he  was 
received  as  a  licentiate  of  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New 
York,"  ordained  and  installed.  On  23  Oct.  1870, 
he  was  released. 

22.  SCOTCHTOWN.— On  17  Feb.  1847,  the 
venerable  Methuselah  Baldwin,  who  had  been 
identified  with  the  Scotchtown  church  from  its 
beginning,  was  called  away  by  death,  and  Rev. 
Edward  D.  G.  Prime  remained  sole  pastor. 

On  24  Dec.  1851,  Mr.  Prime  was  released, 
and  on  16  Oct.  1855,  dismissed  to  the  "  Presbytery 
of  Nassau. ' ' 

On  19  Oct.  1852,  Mr.  David  Beattie  was  received 
as  a  licentiate  from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New  York, ' ' 
and  on  4  Nov. ,  he  was  ordained  and  installed. 

23.  UNIONVILLE.— The  local  history  states 
that  Rev.  Alexander  Olympus  Peloubet  was  Stated 
Supply  from  Sept.  1840,  to  Jan.  1845.  O^  ^8  Sept. 
1842,  he  was  received  from  the  "New  York  Con- 
gregational Association,"  and  on  23  Feb.  1847,  he 
was  dismissed  to  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  North  River. ' ' 


156  HISTORY   OF 

Rev.  J.  S.  Ward  was  a  supply  for  a  short  time  in 
the  spring  of  1846.  On  21  July  1846,  Mr.  Augus- 
tus Seward  was  licensed,  and  after  supplying  this 
church  and  Westtown,  Second,  for  some  months, 
he  was,  on  23  Feb.  1847,  ordained  and  installed 
pastor  of  these  united  congregations.  On  26  Sept. 
1849,  t^^is  relation  was  severed.  On  25  Sept.  1850, 
Rev.  Nathaniel  E.  Pierson  was  received  from  the 
"  Presbytery  of  Rockaway  "  and  installed.  In  Jan. 
1854,  the  Unionville  church  having  rebuilt  and 
enlarged  their  house  of  worship,  rededicated  it. 
Twenty  additions  to  the  membership  were  reported 
in  April  1855. 

On  21  Oct.  1857,  ^'^^-  Pierson  was  released  and 
dismissed  to  the  "  Presbytery  of  Chemung. "  On 
3  May  1859,  Rev.  Henry  F.  Wadsworth  was 
received  from  the  "  Presbyter}'  of  Rockaway  "  and 
installed. 

24.  WESTTOWN.  —  In  June  1840,  Rev. 
Thomas  Holliday  died  at  Westtown.  On  26  Jan. 
1841  Rev.  Ralph  Bull  was  installed,  and  continued 
pastor  until  30  Sept.  1866. 

On  17  April  1867,  Rev.  Duncan  C.  Niven  was 
received  from  the  "Presbytery  of  Connecticut," 
and  on  21  May,  installed.  On  29  April  1868,  there 
were  eighty  additions  to  the  membership,  reported. 

25.  WESTTOWN,  Second.— On  29  Dec.  1838, 
at  a  meeting  of  the  Westtown  congregation,  called 
for  the  purpose,  it  was  Resolved,  by  a  large  majority, 
not  to  invite  Rev.  Peter  Kanouse,  of  the  "Presby- 
tery of  Newark,"    then  supplying  the   church  at 


HUDSON   PRKSBYTKRY.  1 57 

Unionville,  to  supply  them  one-half  his  time.  The 
Moderator  and  Clerk  of  the  meeting,  with  those  in 
favor  of  Mr.  Kanouse,  immediately  withdrew  and 
formed  the  Second  Church  of  Westtown. 

On  23  July  1840,  Mr.  Kanouse  was  dismissed  to 
the  " Presbytery  of  North  River."  This  church 
was  united  with  that  at  Unionville,  as  one  pastoral 
charge.  On  16  April  1845,  Presbyterial  supplies 
were  appointed  for  thirteen  Sabbaths. 

This  organization  seems  to  have  steadily  de- 
clined in  numbers.  A  committee  of  Presbytery, 
23  April  1858,  reported  that  they  were  "not  pre- 
pared to  entertain  the  question  of  dissolution."* 
On  20  April  1864,  another  committee  was  in- 
structed to  urge  their  disbanding,  "for  the  credit 
of  religion  and  their  own  spiritual  interest,  "f 
And  on  20  Sept.  provision  was  made  for  the  regu- 
lar dismission  of  its  members  to  other  churches. 

26.  WHITE  IvAKE.— On  15  Sept.  1841,  Rev. 
William  B.  Reeve,  of  the  "Presbytery  of  Woos- 
ter,"  had  leave  to  labor  at  White  Lake.  On  19 
April  1842,  he  was  received,  and  on  28  June,  in- 
stalled. 

On  17  April  1844,  an  ingathering  of  thirty-one 
souls  from  the  world,  was  reported.  On  20  April 
1848,  Mr.  Reeve  requested  a  dissolution  of  his 
pastoral  relation  ;  but  on  the  unanimous  non- 
currence  of  the  congregation.  Presbytery  "Re- 
solved,   That    it    was    inexpedient    to    grant   his 

■^  Min.  of  Pres.  N.  S.,  Vol.  11,  p.  210. 
t  Ibid.,  p.  418. 


158  HISTORY   OF 

request. ' '  He  was  released  on  7  Oct.  following, 
and  on  2  Oct.  1849,  he  was  dismissed  to  the 
' '  Presbytery  of  Long  Island. ' ' 

On  16  May  1849,  Mr.  William  J.  Blain  was  or- 
dained and  installed.  On  15  May  1853,  he  was 
released.  On  5  May  1857,  Rev.  Loring  Brewster 
was  installed,  and  on  19  Oct.  1858,  his  pastoral 
relation  was  dissolved. 

On  19  April  1859,  ^^^''  James  Petrie  was  ap- 
pointed Stated  Supply,  and  so  continued  until  9 
Sept.  1862,  when  he  was  dismissed  to  the  "Pres- 
bytery of  Newton." 

On  10  Sept.  1862,  Mr.  Walter  S.  Brown  was 
licensed,  and  on  14  Sept.  1864,  installed.  On  17 
April  1867,  he  was  released,  and  on  2  April  1868, 
dismissed  to  the  "  Classis  of  Orange."  On  28 
Sept.  1869,  Mr.  Elijah  B.  Wells  was  ordained  and 
installed. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

SKETCHES    OF    CHURCHES    RECEIVED    UNDER    THE 
CARE   OF   PRESBYTERY    DURING  THIS    PERIOD. 

In  addition  to  these  twenty-six  churches  com- 
prising the  rolls  of  the  two  Presbyteries  of  Hudson 
in  1840,  no  fewer  than  sixteen  others  were  received 
under  their  care  up  to  the  year  1870.  The  first  of 
these  was  : 

I.  WASHINGTONVILIvE.— On  10  Aug  1841, 
a  church  was  organized  at  Washingtonville  with 
twenty-two  members,  of  whom  four  were  consti- 
tuted elders.  The  movement  was  identified  with 
the  services  of  Rev.  Henry  Belden,  whose  labors 
were  greatly  blessed.  Eighteen  members  were 
added  in  1842,  and  seventy  in  1843.  ^^-  Belden 
left  in  April  1844,  and  in  Nov.  following,  Rev. 
Phinehas  Robinson  began  to  preach  there.  At  the 
end  of  three  years  the  membership  was  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-four,  and  the  congregation  still 
worshiped  in  the  Academy.  In  April  1847  "The 
Presbyterian  Church  and  Congregation  of  Wash- 
ingtonville," became  a  corporate  body.  A  lot  was 
secured,  and  a  meeting  house  built  ;  which  was 
dedicated  free  of  debt,  in  August  1848. 

On  27  Sept.  1848,  the  congregation  presented  a 
call  upon  Rev.  Luther  Halsey,  D.D.,  which  they 
had  leave  to  prosecute  before  the   "Presbytery  of 

(159) 


l6o  HISTORY   OF 

Blizabethtown. "  He  served  tliem  as  Stated  Sup- 
ply until  5  Oct.  1856,  when  that  relationship  ceased 
by  voluntary  action  on  the  part  of  Dr.  Halsey. 
During  this  time  a  parsonage  was  bought,  and  a 
lot  for  a  cemetery  also.  At  this  juncture  occurred 
that  unhappy  division  which  resulted  in  the  reduc- 
tion of  the  membership  to  fifty.  "^ 

On  12  Jan.  1857,  a  committee  was  appointed  on 
the  affairs  of  the  church.  Supplies  were  furnished 
until,  on  24  Aug.  1858,  Rev.  Daniel  Higbee  was 
received  from  the  "  Presbytery  of  Rockaway  "  and 
installed.  He  continued  pastor  until  his  death,  on 
20  Oct.   1867. 

On  21  April  1868,  Mr.  John  V.  Griswold  was 
received  as  a  licentiate  of  the  "Third  Presbytery 
of  New  York,"  and  on  16  June,  he  was  ordained 
and  installed. 

2.  CIRCLEVIIvLE— Was  organized  on  5  Nov. 
1 84 1,  with  eleven  members,  and  on  27  Sept.  1842, 
was  taken  under  the  care  of  Presbytery.  Three 
were  ordained  to  the  eldership  and  soon  'after  two 
others.  In  1842  a  meeting  house  was  built  on  a 
lot  given  by  Samuel  Bull  ;  a  parsonage  was  also 
erected  on  the  same  tract,  while  another  portion 
was  set  off  for  a  cemetery. 

On  27  Sept.  1842,  Rev.  Philander  Burnham 
was  received  from  the  "New  York  Congregational 
Association,"  and  on  second  Tuesday  of  Oct.  he 
was  installed.      On  6  Aug.  1844,  he  was  released. 

*  Min.  of  Pres.,  N.  S.,  Vol.  11,  pp.  106-138.        Also   Local  Hist, 
by  Hon.  Augustus  Denniston. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  l6l 

Mr.  Nathaniel  Elmer  was  licensed  19  April  1843, 
ordained,  ^^ sine  titido^^^  24  Oct.  1844,  and  installed 
at  Circleville,  2  Dec.  1845.  He  was  released  28 
Sept.  1847,  ^^^^  on  26  Sept.  1848,  dismissed  to  the 
"Presbytery  of  Chemung." 

In  Dec.  1847,  R^v.  Albert  Worthington  became 
Stated  Supply,  was  received  by  letter  from  the 
"Consociation  of  Long  Island"  on  19  April 
1848,  and  was  dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of 
Montrose"  on  16  April  1850.  On  16  Oct.  Rev. 
Alexander  Olympus  Peloubet  was  received  from 
the  "Presbytery  of  Newark,"  and  on  12  Nov. 
1850,  installed.  On  21  April  1858,  he  was  re- 
leased. At  the  same  meeting  of  Presbytery,  Rev. 
Henry  Osborn  was  received  from  the  "  Presbytery 
of  Chemung."  He  acted  as  pastor-elect  from  20 
April  1859,  until  21  April  1867,  when  he  was  dis- 
missed to  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Ripley. ' ' 

In  Dec.  1867,  R^v.  John  N.  Boyd  became 
Stated  Supply,  and  on  19  May  1868,  he  was  received 
from  the  "Presbytery  of  Northumberland."  His 
labors  ceased  in  April  1871. 

3.  HAMPTONBURGH.— This  church  is  the 
legal  successor  of  the  "Associate  Reformed  Church 
of  Hamptonburgh,"  and  through  it,  of  the  old 
"Associate  Church  of  Neelytown."  The  latter 
was  formed  by  a  large  minority  of  the  Wall  kill 
Church,  during  the  ministry  of  Rev.  John  Moffat, 
about  the  year  1767.  On  15  April  1767,  Rev. 
Robert  Annan  of  the  "Associate  Presbytery  of 
II 


1 62  HISTORY   OF 

Pennsylvania,"  was  called  to  "the  congregations 
of  Little  Brittain  and  Wallkill,"  (Neelytown),  and 
on  2  Oct.  1772,  he  was  installed  over  these  united 
Associate  congregations/''  "On  10  Jan  1769,  a 
half  acre  of  land,  upon  which  a  meeting  house  hath 
been  begun,  was  conveyed  to  trustees  by  William 
Eager,  Jr."  This  meeting  house  was  inclosed  and 
weather-boarded  only.  It  needed  no  chimney  and 
had  no  steeple,  for  there  was  neither  bell  nor  arti- 
ficial heat,  except  in  foot-stoves,  connected  with  its 
services  of  public  worship. 

Mr.  Annan's  pastorate  closed  in  1783,  just  as  his 
double  charge  had  been  merged  into  the  new 
"Associate   Reformed  Presbyterv  of  New  York," 

(1782.) 

After  thirteen  years  of  occasional  preaching,  the 
Rev.  John  Mcjimsey  was  installed,  on  22  Dec. 
1796.  He  continued  there  until  1809,  when  he 
removed  to  Albany.  Another  vacancy  of  ten 
years  was  relieved  by  occasional  Presbyterial  sup- 
plies. In  18 19,  Dr.  Mcjimse}'  resumed  his 
pastoral  labors  and  continued  there  until  1832, 
when  he  resigned. 

In  Feb.,  of  that  3^ear,  a  new  meeting  house 
located  at  Campbell  Hall,  was  dedicated,  and  the 
name  of  the  organization  was  changed  from  ' '  The 
Associate  Reformed  Church  of  Neelytown,"  to  the 
' '  Associate  Reformed  Church  of  Hamptonburgh. ' ' 

On  I  Oct.  1833,  Rev.  Malcom  N.  McLaren  was 
installed,  and  remained  until  Aug.  1843,  when  he 

*  Records  of  Associate  Presbyter}'  of  Pennsylvania. 


*♦. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 63 

was  released.  On  4  Jan.  1844,  this  church,  at  its 
own  request,  was  received  under  the  care  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Hudson,  (O.  S.).  Rev.  James  R. 
Johnston  was  called  on  17  April,  and  on  19  Nov. 
he  was  installed.  The  meeting  house  at  Campbell 
Hall,  was  resigned  to  the  minority,  who  were 
opposed  to  the  change  of  ecclesiastical  relation, 
and  in  the  summer  of  1846,  the  present  church  and 
parsonage  were  built,  about  a  mile  further  to  the 
South.     On  I  Dec.  1849,  Mr  Johnston  was  released. 

On  18  June  1850,  Rev.  Slator  C.  Hepburn  was 
received  from  the  "Presbytery  of  Northumber- 
land," and  on  2  July  following-,  was  installed. 
This  pastoral  relation  continues  until  this  day. 

4.  CAIvIvICOON.— On  10  Sept.  1844,  a  church 
was  reported  to  Presbytery  as  duly  organized  at 
Youngsville  under  the  title  of  the  "  The  First  Pres- 
byterian Church  in  the  Town  of  Callicoon,"  in 
Sullivan  County."  Fifteen  had  been  received  on 
profession  and  several  by  letter.  Messrs.  George  G. 
DeWitt  and  Stephen  Carrier,  were  Elders.  Move- 
ments looking  to  this  result  had  been  made  by  Rev. 
Samuel  Pelton,  Rev.  James  Petrie  and  Mr.  DeWitt, 
at  intervals  during  four  years  preceding. 

On  30  June  1845,  trustees  were  elected  and  steps 
taken  to  build  a  meeting  house.  It  was  opened 
for  religious  services  in  the  autumn  of  1847.  ^^ 
i860  it  was  taken  down  and  removed  from  near 
the  residence  of  Mr.  DeWitt  to  the  village  of 
Youngsville,  where  it  now  stands. 


164  HISTORY   OF 

In  1844,  Rev.  William  B.  Reeve  and  Rev.  James 
Petrie  had  supplied  them  with  preaching,  in  the 
School  House.  In  1845  ^^^  1846,  Rev.  John  Mole, 
from  Cochecton,  preached  every  two  weeks.  From 
1846,  to  1856,  supplies  were  furnished  by  the 
Presbytery.  The  blighting  effect  of  Mr.  Mole's 
moral  delinquencies,  had  sadly  weakened  the 
energies  of  the  little  church.  A  re-incorpora- 
tion was  effected  i  Nov.  1859,  and  occasional 
preaching  afforded  by  neighboring  pastors. 

On  4  May  1859,  Mr.  Floyd  A.  Crane  was  or- 
dained ^^  sine  titiilo  \''''  and  on  12  Sept.  i860,  he 
was  appointed  Stated  Supply  "for  one  year  from 
August."  From  Sept.  1861,  supplies  were  sent 
by  Presbytery,  until,  on  17  April  1866,  Mr.  Crane 
was  again  appointed  Stated  Supply,  and  so  con- 
tinued until  1 87 1. 

5.  ROCKLAND  LAKE.— A  committee  ap- 
pointed 15  Sept.  1847,  ^^  Rockland  Lake,  in 
Rockland  County,^  reported  19  April  1848,  that 
they  had  organized  a^church  with  seventeen  mem- 
bers. It  was  a  joint^  pastoral  charge  with  Hemp- 
stead for  some  years.  On  14  Nov.  1855,  Mr. 
Edward  P.  Crane,  a  licentiate  of  the  ^ '  Fourth 
Presbytery ^of  New  York,"  was  received,  ordained 
and  installed. 

On  2  June  1857,  Mr.  .Crane  was  released,  and  on 
6  Oct.  dismissed  to  the  "Florida  Presbyter}'." 

On  19  Oct.  1858,  this  church  was  transferred  to 
the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New  York. ' ' 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 65 

6.  PORT  JERVIS.— On  2  June  1851,  this 
church  was  organized  with  five  elders  and  twenty- 
six  members.  On  3  Feb.  1852,  Rev.  Augustus 
Seward  was  installed,  and  on  20  Sept.  1859,  his 
pastoral  relation  was  dissolved. 

On  15  Nov.  following,  Mr.  James  T.  Matthews 
was  received  as  a  licentiate  from  the  "Third 
Presbyter}'  of  New  York  ;  "  ordained  ^^ sine  titnlo,^^ 
and  appointed  Stated  Supply.  On  18  Sept.  i860, 
he  was  dismissed  to  the  "Congregational  Con- 
sociation of  Milwaukee." 

On  14  Aug.  i860,  Rev.  Livingston  Willard  was 
received  from  the  "Presbytery  of  Rockaway " 
and  installed.  On  16  Oct.  1861,  he  was  released 
and  dismissed  to  the  "  Presbyter>^  of  Rochester." 
Supplies  were  furnished  by  Presbytery  from  time 
to  time,  until  on  17  April  1867,  Rev.  Alfred  P. 
Botsford  was  received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of 
Newark  "  and  on  4  June  following,  installed. 

7.  MIDDLETOWN,  Second.— A  committee 
appointed  on  13  Sept.  1854,  to  organize  a  second 
church  in  the  Village  of  Middletown,  reported  on  18 
April  1855,  ^^  organization  of  twenty-seven  mem- 
bers. On  13  Mar.  1856,  their  meeting  house  was  fin- 
ished and  dedicated.  On  26  June  1 856,  Rev.  John  H. 
Leggett,  who  had  been  called  on  26  Dec.  previous, 
was  installed.  He  continued  pastor  until  1 2  Jan.  1864, 
when  he  was  released  and  dismissed  to  the  "  Second 
Presbytery  of  New  York."  On  14  Sept.  1864, 
Mr.  Charles  Beattie  was  received  as  a  licentiate 
from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  North  River, ' '  and  on  6 


1 66  HISTORY   OF 

Oct.  following,  he  was  ordained  and  installed.  The 
church  edifice  was  enlarged  in  1865,  and  a  commo- 
dious parsonage  erected  on  an  adjoining  lot,  in 
1867. 

8.  NORTH  BRANCH.— On  13  Sept.  1854,  the 
"  Chiirch  and  Congregation  of  North  Branch" 
applied  to  be  taken  under  the  care  of  Presbytery. 
The  request  was  granted,  the  church  was  enrolled, 
and  Marshall  B.  Tuthill  elder,  was  admitted  as  a 
member  of  Presbytery.  Supplies  were  furnished 
in  connection  with  Cochecton  for  a  few  years,  but 
the  business  of  the  place  declined  rapidly  and  on 
18  April  i860,  the  organization  was  dissolved. 

9.  OTISVILLB.— The  coming  of  the  Erie 
Railway,  stimulated  the  growth  of  the  little  hamlet 
of  "Deer  Park  Four  Corners,"  and  the  spiritual 
needs  of  its  people  soon  attracted  attention.  In 
1848,  the  "New  Jersey  Conference"  organized  a 
society,  which  built  a  house  of  worship.  Into  this, 
several  families  of  the  Old  Deer  Park  Church,  dis- 
satisfied with  its  removal  to  Mount  Hope,  were 
gathered.  In  1854,  these  and  others  applied  for 
preaching  to  the  Presbytery.  Supplies  were  sent, 
and  on  24  Mar.  1855,  the  first  movement  was  made 
to  organize  a  church.  On  18  April,  the  church 
with  fifteen  members  was  taken  under  the  care  of 
the  Presbytery.  On  27  June  the  Society  was  in- 
corporated and  measures  taken  which  resulted  in 
the  dedication  of  a  house  of  worship,  completed 
and  furnished,  on  24  Sept.  1856. 

An  effort  to  secure  the  Rev.   A.   O.    Peloubet  of 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  1 67 

Circleville  as  pastor,  16  Dec.  1856,  was  not  favored 
by  Presbytery.  Rev.  Moses  H.  Wilder  was  Stated 
Supply  from  13  Mar.  1858,  until  2  May  1859,  and 
Rev.  William  N.  Page  until  May  i860.  On  23 
Dec.  1862,  Rev.  R.  S.  Betts  was  received  from  the 
"Classis  of  Ulster,"  and  installed.  On  18  April 
1865,  l^e  was  released,  and  on  20  April  1870,  dis- 
missed to  the  "  Presbytery  of  Monmouth."  During 
his  pastorate  attempts  were  made,  aided  by  the 
Presbytery,  to  liquidate  the  debt  upon  the  church. 

Mr.  Francis  W.  Faries,  a  licentiate  of  the  "Pres- 
bytery of  New  Brunswick,"  began  to  supply  them 
in  1867.  On  21  April  1868,  he  was  received,  and 
on  19  May,  ordained  and  installed.  The  church 
succeeded  in  cancelling  its  debt  and  had  begun 
preparations  to  build  a  parsonage,  when  on  27  Feb. 
1 87 1,  Mr.  Faries  was  released  and  dismissed  to  the 
' '  Presbytery  of  Paris, ' '  in  Canada. 

10.  JEFFERSONVIIvIvB.— This  church  was 
taken  under  the  care  of  Presbytery  on  16  Oct. 
1855.  On  6  April  1858,  Rev.  Herman  Veith  was 
received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Luzerne, ' '  and 
became  Stated  Supply.  On  15  May  i860,  he  was 
dismissed  to  the  "  Presbyter}^  of  Chilicothe."  On 
26  June  following.  Rev.  J.  J.  Simon  became  Stated 
Supply.  On  12  Sept.  he  was  received  as  a  foreign 
minister  on  probation.  On  5  Oct.  1862,  Mr.  Simon 
was  dismissed  to  the  "Indiana  Classis  of  the 
German  Reformed  Church." 

On  13  July  1864,  Committees  of  Presbytery  and 
Classis,  held  a  conference  and  adopted  resolutions 


1 68  HISTORY   OF 

conducive  to  harmony  between  the  rival  German 
congregations  of  Jeffersonville.  On  14  Sept.  1864, 
Rev.  Albert  J.  Winterick  was  received  from  the 
"  Presb3^tery  of  Luzerne,"  and  on  27  Oct.,  installed. 
On  29  June  1869,  he  was  released  and  dismissed  to 
the  "Presbytery  of  Passaic."  On  3  May  1870, 
Mr.  lycsco  Trieste,  a  licentiate  of  the  "Presbytery 
of  Alleghany  City,"  was  appointed  Stated  Supply 
for  six  months. 

II.  WASHINGTONVILLE,  Second.— On  30 
Dec.  1856,  "a  petition  was  presented,  signed  by 
forty-eight  persons,  representing  themselves  to  be 
a  majority  of  the  members  and  pew-holders  of  the 
'  First  Presbyterian  Church  and  Congregation  of 
Washingtonville,'  and  requesting  to  be  received 
into  connection  with  and  under  the  care  of  this 
(O.  S.)  Presbytery,  as  such."'^  At  the  same  time 
persons  and  papers  were  heard  "  showing  the  char- 
acter and  extent  of  the  opposition  existing  in  that 
church  to  the  change  sought  for  in  the  petition." 
"After  discussion,  it  was  Resolved,  That  the 
prayer  of  the  petitioners  be  granted,  and  that  the 
'  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Washingtonville ' 
be  received  under  the  care  of  this  Presbytery. ' ' 

On  12  Jan.  1857,  the  Presbytery  (N.  S.),  took 
into  consideration  the  above  action  and  Resolved, 
to  issue  a  pastoral  letter,  and  to  express  sympathy 
and  pledge  encouragement  and  assistance  to  "our 
church   and   congregation  in   Washingtonville,  in 


Mill,  of  Presb.     O.  S.     Vol.  viii,  p.  15. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  1 69 

the  trials  to  which  they  have  been  subjected,  "t 
On  the  27th,  they  adopted  and  arranged  for  the 
printing  of  the  pastoral  letter  ;  and  on  2 1  April, 
adopted  a  complaint  of  the  action  taken  by  the 
Presbytery  of  Hudson,  (O.  S.)  respecting  the 
church  in  Washingtonville,  and  directed  it  to  be 
forwarded  to  their  General  Assembly. 

On  3  Feb.  1857,  the  Presbytery  (O.  S.),  received 
Rev.  Luther  Halsey,  D.  D. ,  from  the  ' '  Presbytery 
of  Passaic,"  advised  the  church  in  Washington- 
ville,— restrained  by  "injunction"  from  "inter- 
fering with  public  worship  in  the  church  at  the 
ordinary  hours  of  worship," — "to  continue  their 
public  worship  at  such  times  and  places  as  they 
may  find  most  convenient,"  and  also  that  addi- 
tional elders  be  elected  and  ordained,  i 

On  21  April  they  also  adopted  and  provided  for 
the  publication  of  a  review  of  the  ' '  pastoral  letter  ' ' 
above.  The  ' '  review ' '  was  published  and  replied 
to  "in  one  of  the  County  Papers. "  "  The  Com- 
plaint," was  laid  before  the  General  Assembly  and 
acted  upon.  On  7  Oct.  1857,  ^^^  Presbytery 
(O.  S.)  adopted  the  following  on  the  said  action  of 
General  Assembly  (p.  23  of  Min.  1857),  "Whereas: 
This  Presbytery  has  received  no  official  notice  or 
copy  of  this  Complaint,  be  it  therefore  Resolved  : 
That  no  action  for  the  present  seems  to  be  required 
in  the  premises.  "§     Dr.    Halsey  continued  Stated 


t  Min.  of  Pres.  N.  S.,  Vol.  11,  pps,  106,  107. 
I  Min.  of  Presb.,  O.  S.,  Vol.  viii,  p.  18. 
^  Ibid.,  p.  52. 


170  HISTORY   OF 

Supply  until  on  16  April  1862,  Mr.  Arthur  Harlow 
was  licensed,  and  on  24  Sept.  1863,  ordained  and 
stalled  pastor  of  the  Washingtonville  Second 
Church. 

12.  DAMASCUS— On  5  Sept.  1857,  nineteen 
members  of  the  Cochecton  Church  were  dismissed 
to  form  the  "First  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Damascus,"  Wayne  County,  Pa.,  four  of  whom 
were  chosen  elders.  On  6  Oct.,  it  was  received 
under  the  care  of  Presbytery,  and  constituted  a 
joint  pastoral  charge  with  Cochecton. 

13.  BLOOMINGBURGH.— This  church  was 
originally  Associate  Reformed,  and  was  organized 
in  1810,  when  its  first  meeting  house  was  built. 
Another  and  larger  one  was  erected  in  1834,  and  a 
parsonage  in  1835.  It  was  taken  under  the  care 
of  Presbytery  on  28  Dec.  1^58.  At  the  same  time 
Mr.  Anthony  R.  Macoubrey,  a  probationer  under 
the  care  of  the  ' '  Associate  Reformed  Presbytery 
of  Alleghany,"  was  received,  ordained  and  in- 
stalled. On  21  May  1867,  he  was  released,  and 
dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of  Connecticut." 
On  19  Nov.  1868,  Rev.  William  A.  Westcott  was 
installed. 

14.  ROCKIyAND,  First.— On  17  April  i860, 
this  church  was  received  from  the  "  Presbytery  of 
Delaware."  It  was  organized  by  a  committee  from 
that  Presbytery,  appointed  9  Mar.  1836,  to  visit  the 
Beaverkill.  On  27  June  1837,  they  reported  "the 
church  regularly  organized  as  a  Presbyterian 
Church,    and    that  they  requested  to  be  received 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  171 

under  the  care  of  Presbytery. ' '     Their  request  was 
granted  and  the  committee  discharged.  * 

On  15  May  i860,  Rev.  James  Norris  of  the  "  N. 
Y.,  M.  K.  Conference,"  was  granted  permission  to 
supply  them.  On  17  April  1861,  Mr.  Norris  was 
received  as  a  member  of  Presbytery  and  appointed 
Stated  Supply. 

15.  HORTONVII.I.E.— On  20  July  i860,  a 
German  Church  was  organized  at  Hortonville,  in 
the  Town  of  Delaware,  Sullivan  County,  with 
eighty  members  and  three  elders.  On  17  April 
1861,  it  was  dropped  from  the  roll,  "having  de- 
clared itself  no  longer  in  connection  with  the 
Presbyterian  Church. ' ' 

16.  RAMAPO  WORKS.— Data  "from  the  long 
buried  past  of  Books  and  Papers, ' '  excavated  a  few 
years  since  for  the  ' '  History  of  Rockland  County, ' ' 
— the  more  recently  discovered  "Church  Book," 
and  the  "Minutes  of  the  General  Assembly," 
have  supplied  material  for  this  Monograph  of  the 
earlier  "  Church  of  Ramapo  Works."  The  more 
recent  organization  finds  its  History  outlined  on 
the  ' '  Records ' '  of  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson. 

After  the  Irish  Rebellion  of  1798,  many  Prot- 
estant Irishmen  came  to  this  country.  Several 
hundred  including  their  families,  found  a  home 
and  employment,  in  the  early  years  of  the  century, 
in  the  iron  works  at  ' '  Ramapo  Works. ' '  Hidden 
among  the  forest-clad  mountains,  and  contentedly 


Min.  of  Presb.  of  Delaware,  per  Rev.  H.  H.  Allen,  S.  C. 


172  HISTORY   OF 

busy,  the}^  had  at  that  early  day,  little  intercourse 
with  the  outside  world.  Their  religious  habits 
and  instincts,  however,  soon  asserted  themselves, 
and  the  quaint  meeting  house  with  its  high  box 
pews  and  its  little  pentagonal  pulpit,  with  low 
impending  sounding-board,  in  which  this  congrega- 
tion is  still  worshiping,  was  erected  for  their 
accommodation  in  1810,  by  Jeremiah  H.  Pierson, 
the  proprietor  of  the  Iron  Works. 

"On  18  Jan.  181 2,  'the  Presbyterian  associa- 
tion OF  RAMAPO  works  '  was  formed  for  the  pur- 
pose of  raising  money  to  secure,  the  preaching 
of  the  Gospel  by  the  accredited  ministers  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church."  The  subscribers,  sixty-five 
in  number,  pledged  themselves  to  pay,  on  the  first 
Monday  in  July  and  January  respectively,  ' '  the 
sums  affixed  to  our  name^"  Those  names  attest 
at  once  the  national  type  and  the  religious  com- 
plexion of  the  founders  of  this  church.  There 
are  no  fewer  than  ten  "Mc's,"  besides  "Camp- 
bell," and  "Graham,"  and  "Wallace,"  and  a 
score  of  other  names  redolent  of  heath  and  high- 
land in  Scotland  and  Ireland.  It  is  probable  that 
they  at  once  placed  themselves  under  the  care  of 
the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Jersey, ' '  and  that  supplies 
were  regularly  furnished.  The  names  of  the  sup- 
plies from  1 81 2  to  1832,  are  nearly  all  found  on 
the  roll  of  that  Presbytery,  and  in  the  first  list  of 
churches  published,  in  the  Minutes  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  1819,  "  Ramapo  "  is  among  those  of 


HUDSON   PRKSBYTERY.  1 73 

the   "Presbytery  of  Jersey,"   marked,  "V,"  and, 
' '  unable  to  support  a  pastor. ' ' 

Rev.  Messrs.  Gersliom  Williams,  Henry  Cook, 
John  McDowell,  Charles  Cummins,  Samuel  Fisher, 
Stephen  Thompson,  Noah  Crane,  Cyrus  Gilder- 
sleeve,  Joshua  Spaulding,  Joseph  Clark,  Thomas 
Picton,  Aaron  Condit,  and  John  M.  Babbit,  are 
some  of  those  who  served  this  church  during  the 
first  twenty  years  of  its  existence.  In  1823,  ^^^^ 
"Synod  of  New  Jersey"  was  formed,  embracing 
the  Presbyteries  of  "Jersey,"  "New  Brunswick," 
"Newton"  and  "Susquehanna."  The  new 
Synod  dissolved  the  "Presbytery  of  Jersey,"  and 
formed  the  "Presbytery  of  Newark,"  among  the 
churches  of  which,  appears  the  name  of  "  Rama- 
pough,"  as  late  as  1834. 

Coincident  with  these,Bcclesiastical  changes  was 
a  special  arrangement  with  Rev.  Mr.  Wynkoop,  of 
a  neighboring  R.  D.  Church,  to  supply  them  for  a 
year  or  more.  But  the  familiar  names  of  Presby- 
terian ministers  appear  again  in  1826,  and  none 
more  frequently  than  that  of  Rev.  Samuel  Fisher, 
settled  at  Morristowu,  N.  J.,  and  associated  with 
the  Ramapo  church  from  its  beginning.  He  was 
for  twenty-eight  years  deeply  interested  in  its 
welfare.  In  1814,  he  became  pastor  of  the  "First 
Church  of  Paterson,"  N.  J.,  and  during  the  twenty 
years  that  he  labored  there,  Ramapo  was  one  of 
the  outstations  to  which  he  devoted  great  attention. 
The  "Church  Book"  has,  in  1816,  the  words  "to 
defray  the  expense  of  the  parochiai.  labors  of 


174  HISTORY   OF 

the  Rev.  Samuel  Fisher."  On  4  May  1834, 
"warned  to  seek  less  arduous  duties,"*  he  re- 
signed his  charge  at  Paterson,  became  a  resident 
at  Ramapo  Works,  and  continued  to  reside 
and  preach  there  upwards  of  six  years,  f  In  the 
Session  Book  of  the  First  Church  of  Paterson  is 
the  record  that  on  11  Aug.  1834,  his  wife  and 
family  with  several  others,  were  "dismissed  to 
connect  themselves  with  the  church  at  Ramapo 
Works, — under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Dr. 
Fisher."  It  was  during  his  residence  at  Ramapo 
that  he  was  chosen,  by  acclamation,  Moderator  of 
the  General  Assembly,  N.  S.,  in  1838.  In  Nov. 
1840,  his  relation  to  the  church,  and  his  residence 
at  the  Village  of  Ramapo  Works,  ceased. 

For  the  next  seventeen  years,  it  is  difficult  to 
find  a  clue  to  the  continuity  of  church  life,  or  to 
collect  the  evidences  of  existence.  The  meeting 
house  was  private  property,  and  there  was  no  cor- 
porate bod}^  The  same  perplexity  exists  about 
the  continued  existence  of  the  individual  body  be- 
tween death  and  the  Resurrection.  But  since 
Christ  said  in  general  terms,  ' '  where  two  or  three 
are  gathered  in  my  name  there  am  I  in  the  midst 
of  them,"  and  where  Christ  and  members  of  his 
body  are,  there  is  the  church — though  confined  to 
a  single  household, — so  we  may  conclude,  from  the 
fact  that  preaching  was  continued  with  greater  or 
less  regularity  at  the  "Ramapo  Works,"  that  the 

*  The  Reunion  Memorial  Volume. 
t  IMemorandum  at  the  Works. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  1 75 

church  still  lived,  although  ashes  were  ou  its  altars 
aud  but  few  sparks  glowed  in  the  embers. 
He  who  does  not  "quench  the  smoking  flax" 
however,  evidently  watched  over  its  smouldering 
fires.  Rev.  J.  C.  Day  is  said  to  have  supplied  from 
1 841  to  1844,  and  Rev.  S.  J.  Parser  from  1845  to 
1846.  On  22  April  1846,  "Messrs.  S.  J.  Parker 
and  Timothy  K.  Ketcham  appeared  as  commis- 
sioners from  a  body  of  Christian  brethren  in  Ram- 
apo,  and  requested  that  a  church  be  organized  in 
that  place,"  and  taken  under  the  care  of  Presby- 
tery, then  convened  at  Ridgebur}^  A  committee 
was  appointed  to  go  to  Ramapo,  on  the  second 
Monday  in  May,  with  power  to  organize,  if  the 
way  seemed  clear.  On  the  23  Sept.,  this  com- 
mittee reported,  adversely,  and  no  organization  was 
then  effected.  After  Rev.  Mr.  Parker,  Mr.  Wil- 
liam A.  Westcott,  who  was  licensed  on  17  April 
1845,  reported  to  his  Presbytery  on  21  April  1847, 
that  "he  was  employed  in  his  appropriate  work." 
From  data  at  Ramapo  Works,  he  was  exercising 
his  gifts  there,  from  1846,  until  some  time  in  1848. 
He  was  ordained  ' '  sine  titiilo^ ' '  at  Centerville  on 
27  Sept.  1847.  Rev.  William  H.  Kirk,  and  Rev.  • 
S.  J.  Parker  are  mentioned  as  supplies  from  1848 
until  1853,  ^^^  Rev.  William  T.  VanDoren,  from 
1853  uutil  1857. 

With  the  death  of  INIr.  Jeremiah  H.  Pierson  in 
1855,  at  the  advanced  age  of  four  score  and  ten 
years,  manufacturing  virtually  ceased  at  Ramapo, 
the  population  soon  after  diminished,  so  that  the 


176  HISTORY   OF 

school  house  furnished  for  a  while,  the  accommo- 
dation needed,  and  doors  of  pulpit,  pews  and 
church  were  closed. 

In  1863,  the  "  Ramapo  Car  Works"  were 
started,  and  religious  services  were  for  several 
years  conducted  by  the  Methodists.  In  1867,  the 
"  Ramapo  Wheel  and  Foundry  Co."  further  stim- 
ulated the  wheels  of  industry,  and  the  population 
augmented. 

On    I    Sept.    1867,  Rev.   Henry  Kendall,  D.D., 
re-entered    the    pulpit,     and   must    literally    have 
"filled  "  it  from  floor  to  sounding-board,  while  he 
made  the  walls  again  re-echo  the  glad  tidings  of 
the  gospel. 

The  next  Sabbath  Rev.  Goodloe  B.  Bell  became 
their  supply.  On  i  Dec.  Mr.  William  Van  Wagenen 
and  Henry  L.  Pierson,  Jr.,  were  duly  ordained  to 
the  eldership. 

On  21  April  1868,  Rev.  Goodloe  B.  Bell  and 
Mr.  Henry  h.  Pierson,  Jr.,  commissioners  on  be- 
half of  the  congregation,  requested  the  Presbytery  of 
Hudson,  in  session  in  the  First  Church  of  Middle- 
town,  to  take  under  their  care  ' '  the  Presbyte- 
rian   CHURCH    OF    RAMAPO    WORKS. "  ^         On    the 

same  day,  Mr.  Bell  was  received  from  the  "Third 
Presbytery  of  New  York,"  the  church  was  enrolled 
and  Mr.  Pierson  took  his  seat  as  a  member  of 
Presbytery.       Mr.    Bell's    labors    closed    in    April 


^  IL\MAPO  Works,"— the  name  given  to  the  village  from  the 
first,  was  adopted  by  the  Post  Office  Department  in  1807. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 77 

187 1,   when   the  original   seven   members  had  in- 
creased to  forty. 

On  I  Nov.  1 87 1,  Rev.  Perez  B.  Bonney  became 
Stated  Supply.  On  22  April  1873,  he  was  re- 
ceived by  Presbytery  and  on  9  May,  installed. 

The  occasion  was  memorable  as  the  first  service 
of  that  kmd  in  the  church.  On  i  Nov.  1875,  Mr. 
Bonney' s  pastoral  relation  ceased.  He  continued 
to  decline  in  health  and  departed  this  life  29  May 
1877,  in  the  thirty-ninth  year  of  his  age. 

On  16  April  1876,  Mr.  George  A.  Ford,  a 
licentiate  of  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New  York, ' '  be- 
came Stated  Supply.  On  13  Nov.  1876,  he  was 
received  and  ordained  '"''sine  tittdoy  In  April 
1880,  he  closed  his  labors  at  "  Ramapo  Works," 
and  on  i  May,  sailed  for  Syria  under  the  appointment 
of  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions.  Under  his 
earnest  labors  the  membership  increased  from  42 
to  139.  During  his  pastorate  in  1877,  ^^  church 
was  incorporated.  On  20  April  Mr.  Eben  B.  Cobb 
was  received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Cayuga, ' ' 
and  on  the  29th  he  was  ordained  and  installed.  On  4 
June  1886,  Mr.  Cobb  was  released  and  dismissed  to 
the  "  Presbytery  of  Elizabeth."  Under  his  active 
and  fruitful  ministry  the  membership  increased 
from  139  to  222. 

Upon    the  same   day,    with   the  release   of  Mr. 
Cobb,  the  present  pastor.  Rev.   Norman   N.    Skin- 
ner,    a    licentiate    of    the    "Presbytery    of  New 
York,"  was  received,  ordained  and  installed. 
12 


178  HISTORY   OF 

Three  vigorous  Sunday  Schools  are  sustained  by 
the  congregation,  one  of  which  is  at  Brook  Chapel, 
among  the  colored  people,  in  the  mountains.  The 
contributions  to  the  Boards  from  the  Ramapo 
Church,  rank  with  the  highest  in  the  Presbytery. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

ANALYSIS  OF  THE  PERIOD  OF  DUAL  EXISTENCE. — 
ESSENTIAL  ONENESS  OF  THE  TWO  BODIES. — DIF- 
FER ONLY  ON  POINTS  GROWING  OUT  OF  THE  PLAN 
OF  UNION. — NEGATIVE  AND  POSITIVE  REASONS 
FOR  RE-UNION. — THE  RE-UNION  ITSELF. 

At  the  beginning  of  this  period,  there  were  two 
Presbyteries  of  Hudson,  side  by  side,  each  claiming 
the  prerogatives  implied  in  the  title.  The  larger 
of  the  two  retained  possession  of  the  archives. 

In  many  things  they  might  as  well  have  discussed 
and  voted  and  resolved  together,  so  nearly  alike  were 
their  deliverances. 

Their  Annual  Narratives  faithfully  reflected  joy 
over  revivals,  sensitiveness  in  respect  to  public 
morals  and  sadness  at  any  perceptible  decay  in 
vital  piety. 

The  gospel  produced  the  same  blessed  results  in 
the  churches  of  the  one,  that  made  the  other  confi- 
dent that  they  were  favored  by  the  Master. 

The  degree  of  success  fluctuated,  not  in  respect 
to  each  other,  but  in  marked  sympathy  with  the 
unparalelled  events  which  agitated  the  world 
around  them,  E.  G.  : 

Did  William  Miller,  for  a  year  or  more,  loudly, 
learnedly  and  confidently  predict  that  on  23  April 
1843,  the  "end  of  the  world  would  come?" 

(179) 


l8o  HISTORY   OF 

In  iVpril  1843,  the  accessions  to  the  churches  of 
these  Presbyteries  from  the  world,  for  the  year, 
numbered  two  hundred  and  ninety-two  :  but  when 
the  air  was  vibrating  with  paeans  over  our  victo- 
rious armies  in  Mexico,  in  1847,  there  v/ere  but 
fifty-eight.  Did  fathers  and  husbands  and  brothers 
and  sons,  from  family  and  farm  and  fane,  has- 
ten to  the  gold  fields,  which  that  was  inclosed 
within  our  national  domain?  Not  only  was  it, 
that  men  might  be  able  to  give  "of  the  gold  of 
Sheba,"  but  also  "that  prayer  might  be  made 
continually."*  As  golden  sands  were  showered 
upon  the  land,  unceasing  prayer  from  closet  and 
fireside  and  pulpit  ascended  for  those  fathers  and 
husbands  and  brothers  and  sons:  while  "showers 
of  blessing,"  also,  in  1851,  brought  three  hundred 
and  seven  into  the  churches  of  these  Presbyteries 
on  confession  ^  of  their  faith  in  Christ.  Did  the 
abundance  of  gold  largely  stimulate  selfish  greed, 
rather  than  the  consecration  of  wealth  to  the  cause 
of  Him,  who  "is  exalted  to  give  gifts  to  men?" 
Faithfully  chastening  whomsoever  He  loves.  He 
"gave  His  people  their  request  and  sent  leanness 
into  the  soul. ' '  f  The  records  tell  of  but  ninety-two 
additions  in  1856.  Did  Isaiah  sing,  "When  thy 
judgments  are  in  the  earth,  the  inhabitants  of  the 
world  will  learn  righteousness  ?  "J  The  ruinous 
financial  panic  of  1857  ^'^^  immediately  followed 


■•■  Ps.  Ixxii :  15. 
t  Ps.  cvi  :  15. 
:j:  Is,  xxvi :  9. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  l8l 

by  that  wonderful  awakening  to  the  importance  of 
eternal  things,  when  ' '  the  inhabitants  of  one  city 
went  to  another  saying,  let  us  go  speedily  to  pray 
before  the  Lord,  and  to  seek  the  Lord  of  Hosts  :  "  § 
and  lo,  the  additions  in  1859,  were  two  hundred 
and  nineteen.  Did  the  political  turmoil  of  i860, 
divert  attention  from  religious  matters,  and  the 
impending  cloud  of  civil  war  affright  the  most 
courageous  ?  Eighty-five  only  confessed  Christ 
that  year  for  the  first  time,  in  all  these  congrega- 
tions. Did  that  civil  war  give  occasion  for  the 
most  magnificent  display  of  Christian  philanthropy 
that  the  world  has  ever  seen,  in  the  operations  of 
the  Sanitary  and  Christian  Commissions?  The 
words  ' '  inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of 
the  least  of  these,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me,"  ap- 
pealed to  many  as  a  personal  call  from  the  Suffer- 
ing Saviour  ;  and  with  this  glowing  patriotism, 
religious  ferv^or  also  is  indicated  in  1864,  by  one 
hundred  and  twenty-one  reported  conversions. 
Then,  most  remarkable  of  all,  after  peace  had 
come  to  the  nation,  and  negotiations  for  repairing 
the  breach  in  the  walls  of  Zion  were  approaching 
a  successful  issue,  in  April  1869,  the  accessions  re- 
ported on  examination,  in  the  O.  S.  Presbytery 
alone,  were  three  hundred  and  eighty-four  ;  while 
those  of  the  other  body  are  not  recorded  in  their 
minutes. 

Let  it  not  be  thought  that  these  events  had  no 


Zech.  ^dii :  21. 


1 82  HISTORY   OF 

influence  in  shaping  the  history  of  these  churches, 
and  of  these  Presbyteries.  Presbyteries  are  some 
of  the  wheels  under  the  royal  chariot  of  Him  to 
whom  ' '  is  given  all  power  in  heaven  and  in 
earth;"*  and  in  His  majestic  ongoings,  "the 
spirit  of  the  living  creature  in  them,"t  indicates 
their  connection  with  His  providential  government 
of  the  world.  Few  congregations  were  unaffected 
by  these  external  influences.  Church  members 
were  scattered  abroad,  some  "everywhere  preach- 
ing the  word,"  others,  "having  no  root  in  them- 
selves, withering  away."  Few  cemeteries  are 
without  a  soldier's  grave  ;  few  towns  without  a 
soldiers'  monument,  and  few  families  whose 
prayers  were  not  burdened  with  agony  on  account 
of  loved  ones   in  the    Sierras,  or    "at  the   front." 

Under  this  providential  sway  of  Him,  who  is 
"the  Head  over  all  things  TO  his  church, "J  no 
distinction  can  be  perceived  in  favor  of  one  Pres- 
bytery as  against  the  other.  There  were  in 
1840, — 3,547  communicants  in  the  churches  of 
both  Presbyteries,  and  in  1870,  there  were  4,869, 
a  gain  of  1,322. 

In  respect  to  patriotism^  the  O.  S.  Presbytery,  on 
14  Sept.  1864,  "Resolved,  That  loyalty  to  a  legiti- 
mate government  is  a  christian  virtue,  and  should 
be  inculcated  from  our  pulpits.  And,  That  it  is 
the  duty  of  each  of  our  ministers  to  offer  prayer 


■*  Matt,  xxviii :  18. 
t  Ezek.  X  :  17. 
X  Kpli.  i :  22. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 83 

frequently  and  fervently  and  in  unequivocal  terms, 
for  the  President  of  these  United  States,  and  for  all 
in  authority  under  him,  who  constitute  the  admin- 
istiation  ;  for  the  Army  and  Navy  ;  and  for  the 
preservation  and  perpetuity  of  the  government  and 
the  union  of  the  States." 

On  18  April  1865,  they  spent  the  hour  of  the 
obsequies  of  Abraham  Lincoln  at  Washington,  in 
public  devotional  exercises,  wore  badges  of  mourn- 
ing during  their  sessions  and  put  on  record  a  series 
of  five  patriotic  resolutions.* 

The  N.  S.  Presbytery,  adjourned,  "that  the 
pastors  and  elders  might  have  opportunity  to  unite 
with  their  own  congregations  in  such  services  as 
may  be  held  in  their  respective  places  of  worship,  "f 

Upon  the  great  moral  questions  of  the  day  also, 
they  reached  the  same  results.  In  regard  to  that 
standing  menace  to  society,  the  traffic  in  and  use 
of  strong  drink,  the  O.  S.  Presbytery,  on  21  April 
1842,  "Resolved,  That  we  adhere  to  the  principle 
of  total  abstinence  from  all  intoxicating  drinks, — 
not  because  it  is  '  malum  per  se '  to  drink  the  least 
particle  of  intoxicating  liquors,  but  because  so 
many  temptations  and  inducements  present  them- 
selves to  the  excessive  use  of  such  drinks  that  this 
is  the  only  safe  course." 

The  N.  S.  Presbytery,  among  many  other  ex- 
pressions of  their  interest  in  this  question,  in  Sept. 
1852,  published  six  hundred  copies  of  a  pastoral 


■^  Min.  of  Presb.  O.  S.  Vol.  viii,  p.  335  and  357. 
t  Mill,  of  Pres.  N.  S.,  Vol.  11,  p.  448. 


184  HISTORY   OF 

letter,  which  covers  seven  folio  pages  of  the  record, 
advocating  in  the  strongest  terms  the  prohibition 
of  the  traffic  in  strong  drink,  by  legal  enactment.  | 
In  1856,  both  lament  the  retrograde  movement 
in  the  temperance  canse,  and  the  consequent 
alarming  increase  of  drunkenness,  profaneness, 
Sabbath  desecration  and  kindred  vices. 

On  the  question  of  Slavery,  both  fully  endorsed 
the  action  of  their  respective  General  Assemblies. 

On  the  question  of  the  "Sunday  milk  traffic," 
which  arose  in  this  period,  the  sessions  were  per- 
plexed to  know  what  was  duty  ;  and  Presbytery 
was  asked  to  consider  it  and  advise  them. 

The  O.  S.  Presbytery,  on  17  April  1845,  "Re- 
solved, That  in  the  judgment  of  this  Presbytery, 
the  sending  of  milk  to  the  New  York  market  on 
the  Sabbath  is  a  direct  violation  of  the  Fourth  Com- 
mandment, and  that  its  inffiience  is  calculated  to 
be  highly  prejudicial  to  the  moral  and  religious 
interests  of  those  engaged  in  it  and  to  the  com- 
munity in  general." 

The  N.  S.  Presbytery,  on  the  same  date,  upon 
an  overture  from  the  church  of  Chester,  gave  the 
subject  most  careful  examination, — as  seven  folio 
pages  of  their  records  testify, — and  then  "  Resolved, 
That  the  practice  of  carrying  milk  from  our  farms 
to  the  depots  on  Sunday,  is  in  no  wise  to  be  toler- 
ated in  the  church  of  Christ  ;    and  that   such   dis- 


t  lb.,  Vol.  I,  p.  513. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 85 

cipline  be  exercised  as  a  last  resort,  as  will  cleanse 
the  church  of  this  sin." 

A  similar  overture  was  presented  to  the  O.  S. 
Presbytery  in  1861,  from  the  Goshen  church, 
which,  after  much  "discussion,  and  considering 
the  difficulties  surrounding  the  whole  matter,  was 
referred  to  the  Synod  for  decision."  But  lit- 
tle disciplinary  work  seems  to  have  been  needed.  In 
the  one  body,  after  a  thorough  investigation  and  a 
fair  trial,  one  minister  was  suspended  from  the 
office  of  the  ministry,  in  1849  5  ^"^^  ^^^  ^^^^  repent- 
ance, the  suspension  was  removed  in  the  same 
year,  and  he  was  granted  a  certificate  of  good 
standing,  on  his  dismission,  f  In  the  other  body  a 
similar  investigation  and  trial  in  1840,  had  failed 
to  sustain  the  charge  of  ' '  conduct  unbecoming  a 
minister. ' '  J 

The  O.  S.  Presbytery  carried  on  its  benevolent 
work  through  the  Boards.  On  22  Sept.  1841,  they 
ordained  Mr.  Robert  W.  Saw>^er,  as  a  missionary 
to  W.  Africa,  and  recommended,  the  observance  of 
the  first  Sabbath  of  November,  as  a  day  of  special 
prayer  ' '  that  the  lyord  of  the  harvest  would  send 
forth  more  labourers  :"  and  that  ministers  should 
preach  on  the  subject  of  Foreign  Missions  on  the 
first  Sabbath  in  Jan.  next.  * 

On  6  April   1858,   they   ordained  Mr.    Augustus 


t  Mill,  of  Presb.,  N.  S.,  Vol,  i,  pps.  334-379  and  403. 
t  Min.  of  Presb.,  O.  S.,  Vol.  vi,  p.  388. 
^  Min.  of  Presb.     Vol.  vii,  p.  29. 


1 86  HISTORY   OF 

Broadhead,   and  on  14  Sept.    1859,   dismissed  him 
to  the   "Presbytery  of  Furrukhabad, "  India. 

On  20  April  1864,  Mr.  Samuel  H.  Kellogg  was 
ordained,  and  dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of 
Ivodiana,"  India. 

The  N.  S.  Presbytery  cherished  the  principle  of 
co-operation,  and  wrought  through  the  voluntary 
Societies  ;  ever  in  readiness  to  do  what,  in  their 
sober  judgment  should  appear  to  be  the  will  of  the 
Master. 

Both  diligently  prosecuted  their  official  duties 
and  kept  accurate  and  approved  records.  Those 
records  testify  to  identity  in  motive,  same- 
ness in  thought,  unity  in  purpose  and  great 
similarity  in  official  action,  in  respect  to  all  mat- 
ters, save  those  growing  out  of  the  embarrassing 
alliance  of  the  Plan  of  Union. 

In  those  matters  they  were  wide  apart  in  1840, 
but  drew  gradually  nearer  to  each  other,  until  in 
1870,  they  re-united  and  became  THE  presbytery 
OF  HUDSON,  with  the  churches  and  ministers  of 
Rockland  County  added  to  the  roll. 

The  plane  of  cleavage  extends  backward  through 
the  Synod  of  New  York,  through  the  General  As- 
sembly of  1838,  through  the  General  Assembly  of 
1837,  through  the  general  sentiment  of  the  church 
at  large,  back,  to  the  beginning  of  the  century, 
where,  in  the  plan  of  union  is  found  the  thin 
edge  of  the  wedge,  which,  driven  home,  resulted 
in  the  great  division. 

In  that  combination   of  the  livinof  oreranism  of 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 87 

the  Presbyterian  body,  with  one  radically  different, 
the  WILL  was  a  reserved  force  with  each,  but 
subordinated  to  the  good  intention  of  the  Union.  I 
am,  and  will  j^emain  Presbyterian  :  I  am,  and  zvill 
remain  Congregational :  but  hoping  ' '  to  promote 
union  and  harmony  "  "  zve  will  tmite. ' ' 

A  yoke,  that  should  couple  an  ox  and  a  horse, 
might,  in  a  certain  sense,  be  considered  the  cause  of 
extraordinary  results,  in  crooked  furrows,  insuffi- 
cient tillage  and  unsatisfactory  harvests.  It  is 
conceivable  that,  while  the  yoke  would  incline  the 
ox  to  go  with  the  horse,  he  might  prefer  to  go 
another  way  and  would  shake  off  the  yoke  if  he 
could. 

In  a  previous  chapter,  some  instances  in  which 
the  diversity  of  sentiment  latent  in  the  Plan  of  Union 
itself  extended  to  doctrine  and  practice,  have  been 
specified  : — not  to  exhaust  the  list,  not  to  exclude 
or  minify  others  not  named,  not  to  exhibit  or  dis- 
cuss them  for  their  own  sake, — but,  as  many  as  the 
purpose  of  this  history  required,  and  enough  to 
show  how  the  division  of  the  Presbyterian  body 
was  a  natural  sequence  of  so  incongruous  a  Union. 

To  take  any  one  of  those  instances  of  diversity 
of  sentiment,  as  a  starting  point  from  which  to 
logically  reach  division  of  the  church  as  a  con- 
clusion, would  lead  to  endless  debate,  and  produce 
confusion  worse  than  that  of  the  Ptolemaic  theory 
of  the  universe,  among  the  heavenly  bodies. 

In  a  part  of  the  Presbyterian  church  at  large, 
mind  and  heart  and  conscience  seem  not  to  have 


1 88  HISTORY   OF 

become  subject,  with  the  will,  to  the  idea  of  the 
Plan  of  Union.  If  for  a  time  they  had  been,  heart 
and  conscience  constrained  by  the  intellect,  at 
length  led  the  will  to  revolt  and  shake  itself  loose 
from  the  yoke,  even  at  the  sacrifice  of  a  part  of  its 
own  body.  This  was  necessarily  divisive  ;  for  in 
the  other  part  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  large, 
the  reason  still  acquiesced,  the  heart  still  cherished 
and  the  conscience  still  approved  the  Union.  That 
part  willingly  retained  the  yoke.  An  equally  divi- 
sive procedure.  Half  the  ox  decided  to  stay  with 
the  horse  ! 

If  exscinding  the  Synods  in  1837,  divided  the 
church,  no  less  did  the  organizing  in  the  aisles  and 
leaving  the  house  in  1838,  divide  the  church.  But 
to  regard  either  of  these  as  the  cause  of  the  division 
to  the  exclusion  of  the  other,  or  to  regard  both  to- 
gether as  causing  it,  or  even  to  regard  the  ante- 
cedent difference  of  opinion  such,  is  to  stop  short 
of  the  real  origin. 

Back  of  both  these  divisive  exercises  of  the 
Presbyterian  will,  was  diversity  of  sentiment,  and 
back  of  difference  of  opinion,  was  the  Plan  of  Union 
by  which  that  will  was  yoked  to  one  of  another 
species. 

The  advice  of  the  Father  of  his  Country,  to  avoid 
entangling  alliances,  might  well  have  been  fol- 
lowed by  that  church,  after  the  general  principles 
of  whose  form  of  government  that  country's  con- 
stitution itself  is  largely  modeled. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 89 

The  comprehensive  reason  for  the  gradual  ap- 
proach to  each  other  and  ultimate  absorption  of 
these  two  Presb3'teries  into  one  organic  whole  may 
thus  be  stated  : 

Negatively^  There  was  a  gradual  loosening  and 
a  final  sundering  of  the  bond  of  co-operation,  (with 
voluntary  societies  under  the  Plan  of  Union). 

Positively^  There  was  an  increasing  healthy  action 
of  the  vital  energy,  inherent  in  the  Presbyterian 
body. 

No  act  of  legislation,  violent  or  peaceful,  on 
the  part  of  Congregational  Association  or  Pres- 
byterian Assembly,  N.  S.,  enforced  the  continu- 
ance or  terminated  the  existence  of  the  Plan  of 
Union.  In  the  rapid  populating  of  the  country, 
and  the  ever-widening  field  for  church  enterprise, 
other  considerations  respecting  the  most  efficient 
methods  of  meeting  increased  obligation,  on  the 
part  of  the  church,  to  "preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature,"  arose  and  became  imperative.  These 
neutralized  whatever  moral  force  remained  in  co- 
operation. The  records  show,  that  the  conclusions 
reached  by  the  N.  S.  General  Assembly  within  a 
period  of  twenty-five  years  after  the  division,  re- 
specting accountability  to  the  Head  of  the  church 
as  an  ecclsiastical  body,  were  also  reached  and 
heartily  approved  by  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson  be- 
longing to  that  Assembly. 

Only  such  of  their  proceedings  are  here  pre- 
sented as  will  serve  to  make  this  plain. 

I.  Education.     On   22  Sept.   1.846,  it  was  re- 


190  HISTORY  OF 

solved,  "that  a  Standing  Committee  on  Education 
be  appointed."* 

On  20  April  1853,  this  Committee  reported,  that 
the  General  Assembly  having  "recommended  each 
Presbytery  .  .  .  .  to  take  charge  of  the  funds  col- 
lected in  its  churches,  and  disburse  them  ;  ,  .  .  . 
but  ....  not  to  interfere  with  any  preference  for 
co-operation  with  the  '  Education  Societies  ; '  there 
fore  Resolved,  That  the  churches  shall  be  requested 
to  place  their  collections  to  aid  young  men  in  prepar- 
ing for  the  ministry,  at  the  disposal  of  the  Pres- 
bytery, "f 

This  indicates  no  "preference  for  co-operation," 
but  rather  a  return  to  the  original  method  of 
"  conducting  educational  concerns  Presby terially , " 
quite  similar  to  the  action  of  the  Presbytery  in 
1828. 

On  19  Sept.  i860.  Rev.  Thornton  A.  Mills  laid 
the  "Assembly's  Revised  Plan  of  Education,"  be- 
fore the  Presbytery.  In  the  next  April,  Presbytery 
approved  the  Plan,i  and  thenceforward  recom- 
mended its  candidates  to  the  "  'Assembly's  Com- 
mittee,' for  aid  from  the  'Assembly's  Education 
Fund.'  " 

By  April  1861,  therefore,  the  Educational  work 
of  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson  was  conducted  entirely 
upon  a  denominational  basis  ;  the  O.  S.,  through 
the  Board,  and  the  N.  S.,  through  a  Permanent 
Committee. 

*  Min.  of  Presb.,  N.  vS.,  Vol.  i,  p.  267. 

t  Ibid.,  pps.  529-533- 

X  Mill,  of  Presb.,  N.  S.,  Vol.  11,  p.  306. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  I9I 

2.  Home  Missions.  It  was  soon  discovered 
that  the  relation  of  our  "small  churches  to  the 
'  American  Home  Missionary  Society '  calls  for 
careful  supervision." 

On  16  April  1845,  it  was  Resolved  :  "That  there 
be  a  Committee  of  Missions,  through  which  all 
applications  to  the  '  A.  H.  M.  Society '  for  aid,  shall 
be  presented,  "t 

On  19  Sept.  i860,  it  was  Resolved:  "That, 
Whereas  the  policy  of  our  branch  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  respecting  Domestic  Missions,  has, 
by  force  of  circumstances  been  unsettled,  and. 
Whereas  the  last  General  Assembly  determined 
'  not  to  restrict  Presbyteries  or  Churches  in  choos- 
ing the  agency  through  which  they  shall  bestow 
their  contributions  for  Domestic  Mission  work'j 
therefore,  we  recommend  all  our  churches  to  take 
annual  collections  for  Domestic  Missions, — to  pay 
them  to  the  Standing  Committee  on  Missions, — 
and  that  they  be  distributed  as  follows."  The 
churches  to  be  aided  are  then  specified,  and 
are  no  longer  to  be  recommended  for  aid  to  the 
"A.  H.  M.  Society."- 

On  18  Sept.  1 86 1,  the  churches  were  recom- 
mended to  conform  their  practice  in  the  cause  of 
Missions,  "  to  the  plan  adopted  by  the  last  General 
Assembly."  And  on  20  April  1864,  applications 
for  aid  were  made  to  the  "General  Assembly's  Com- 


t  Ibid.,  Vol.  1,  p.  221. 

X  Mill.  Gen.  Assembly,  N.  S.,  1859,  P-  292. 

*  Mill,  of  Presb.,  N.  S.,  Vol.  11,  p.  292. 


192  HISTORY   OF 

mittee  on  Missions,  "f  Thus  this  branch  01 
church  work  also  came  to  be  carried  on  by  denomi- 
national agencies  exclusively. 

Foreign  Missions.  In  1854,  "  The  Permanent 
Committee  on  Foreign  Missions  "  was  established, 
by  the  General  Assembly. 

In  1859,  that  "  Permanent  Committee  "  reported 
Overtures  from  Synods  and  Presbyteries,  "praying 
for  closer  ecclesiastical  relations  between  our 
Foreign  Missionaries  and  the  General  Assembly, 
and  '  for  direct  reports  from  them  : '  'for  the  forma- 
tion of  Presbyteries  on  the  Foreign  field  ; '  because 
our  ministers,  '  understanding  that  it  is  the  busi- 
ness of  the  Prudential  Committee  of  the  A.  B.  C. 
F.  M.,  to  arrange  the  ecclesiastical  organization  of 
missionaries . and  churches  in  Foreign  lands,'  de- 
cline to  form  Presbyteries  :  "  expressing  "  the  con- 
viction that  the  missionary  spirit  cannot  be  kept 
alive,  unless  the  churches  in  some  way  are  made 
to  feel  it  is  OUR  work  : "  reminding  the  Assembly 
that  "  after  contributing  millions  of  money  we  have 
but  one  solitary  missioji  church  in  the  entire  foreign 
Jield^^^  and  recommending  direct  control  of  the  ec- 
clesiastical relations  of  our  ministers  in  foreign 
lands. 

Upon  this  report  it  was  Resolved  :*  "  That  this 
Assembly  is  encouraged  by  learning  of  thought  and 
aim  toward  the  perpetuation  in  foreign  countries  of 
our  excellent  Presbyterian  polity; — that  the  time  has 


t  Ibid.     Vol.  II,  p.  417. 

*  Min.  of  General  Assembly,  MSS,  1859,  PP-  21-25. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  1 93 

come,  not  only  for  consideration  but  action, — we 
will  sacrifice  everything  to  perpetuate  co-operation 
with  the  'American  Board,'  except  the  edification 
of  that  portion  of  the  church  over  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  hath  made  us  overseers  ;  " — "mission- 
aries should  be  so  disposed  as  to  facilitate  the  forma- 
tion of  Presbyteries  on  the  foreign  field  ; — our 
missionaries,  should  correspond  with  our  Perma- 
nent Committee  ; — such  missionaries  should  be 
recommended  to  form  themselves  into  Presbyte- 
ries, and  our  candidates  for  the  foreign  field  should 
be  advised  to  go  where  such  Presbyteries  are 
formed  ; — and  any  new  undertaking  on  a  foreign 
field  should  be  deferred  in  order  to  facilitate  the 
formation  of  such  Presbyteries."  All  this  was 
emphasized  in  the  Assembly  of  i860,  after  full  and 
free  conference  with  the  "American  Board,  "f 

4.  Church  Poi^ity.  On  28  Nov.  1838,  the 
Presbytery,  met  in  Ridgebury,  Resolved  :  "that 
in  the  judgment  of  the  Presbytery  there  has  never 
been  any  sufficient  reason  for  the  division  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church." 

On  17  April  1839,  they  voted  "no"  upon  the 
first  overture  from  the  Assembly  proposing  a  con- 
stitutional change.   (On  the  Limitation  of  appeals.) 

On  23  1846,  they  took  the  initiative,  and  over- 
tured  the  Assembly  to  restore  the  former  mode  of 


t  Ibid.,  i860,  pp.  256-25S. 
13 


194  HISTORY   OF 

"  annual  "  instead  of  "  triennial  "  meetings  of  the 
Assembly.*  ■ 

On  21  April  1847,  they  Resolved  :  ''That  we 
consider  the  adjournment  of  the  last  General 
Assembly, — as  wholly  unconstitutional,  and  of  a 
dangerous  tendency."  And  "that  we  decline  to 
do  any  act  that  may  seem  to  recognize  the  consti- 
tutionality of  that  meeting,  "t 

And  when,  after  eleven  years,  the  General 
Assembly  "declared,  that  a  majority  of  the  whole 
number  of  Presbyteries  had  decided  against  each  and 
all  of  the  proposed  changes  of  the  constitution  : 
the  Book  therefore  remains  as  it  was  before  the 
division  of  the  church  ;":};.  this  Presbytery  could 
point  to  its  record  for  evidence  that  it  was  fully  in 
sympathy  with  that  declaration. 

5.  Doctrine.  On  28  Nov.  1838,  Presbytery, 
N.  S.,  Resolved:  "That  we  profess  our  firm  ad- 
herence to  the  Standards  of  the  '  Presbyterian 
Church  in  these  United  States,'  as  containing  the 
System  of  Doctrine  taught  in  the  Holy  Scriptures." 

"The  confession  of  Faith  proper,  the  Larger 
and  Shorter  Catechisms,  and  the  Director}'  for 
worship,  remain,  word  for  word  and  letter  for 
letter,  as  they  were  adopted  at  the  formation  of 
the  Assembly  in  1788."  § 

In  Sept.  1855,  the  Presbytery,  N.  S.,  Resolved  : 
That  they  regarded  the   obtaining   of  charters  for 


*  Mill,  of  Presb.,  N.  S.,  Vol.  i,  p.  256. 
t  Ibid.,  p.  287. 

i  Min.  Gen.  Assembly,  N.  S.,  pp.  317-318. 
^  Moore's  Digest,  p.  602.     Note. 


HUDSON   PRKSBYTERY.  1 95 

the  publication  House,  for  the  Church  Erection 
Fund,  and  also  for  Church  Extension,  as  not  an- 
tagonistic to  the  spirit  of  co-operation,  but  as  ad- 
ditional means  for  advancing  the  Kingdom  of 
Christ,  arising  out  of  the  growth  of  the  church. 
In  April  1859,  they  declared*  that  they  were 
"  giving  careful  attention  to  the  relation  subsisting 
between  the  Voluntary  Societies,  the  Assembly's 
Committees  and  the  Churches."  In  17  Sept.  of 
the  same  year.  Pastors  and  Sessions  were  requested 
to  examine  carefully  the  action  of  the  Assembly  in 
respect  to  these  leading  agencies  of  benevolent 
work,  and  use  great  wisdom  in  bringing  them  be- 
fore their  churches. 

In  Sept.  1 86 1,  the  churches  were  urged  to  take 
annual  collections  for  "Home  Missions,"  for 
"Foreign  Missions,"  for  "Education,"  and  for 
"Publication,"  AS  THKY  ARE  CONDUCTED  BY  THE 
ASSEMBI.Y.  And  in  April  1862,  the  time  was 
"judged  to  be  at  hand  when  our  churches  without 
an  exception,  will  contribute  to  the  objects  recom- 
mended by  our  higher  judicatories.""]" 

These  extracts,  references  and  sentiments  ex- 
pressed with  the  utmost  delicacy  and  fidelity, 
testify  that  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson,  N.  S. ,  in 
full  sympathy  with  their  Assembly,  was  conduct- 
ing its  benevolent  operations  through  the  Assem- 
bly's Permanent  Committees;  avowing  no  "  dis- 
esteem    of    the    spirit    of    co-operation    with     the 


-  Min.  of  Presb.,  N.  S.,  Vol.  11,  p.  230. 
t  Ibid.,  p.  313. 


196  HISTORY   OF 

Voluntary  Societies,"  but,  ''impelled  by  the  voice 
of  the  Master  heard  in  the  development  of  the  age 
and  of  the  country,"!  by  the  observation  of  the 
absolute  stagnation  of  our  work  in  the  Foreign 
field  during  twenty  years,  and  by  the  conviction 
that  these  Permanent  Committees  are  so  "many 
additional  means  of  advancing  Christ's  kingdom, 
arising  out  of  the  growth  of  the  church." 

The  experience,  the  reasoning  and  the  language 
used,  are  almost  identical  with  those  which  led  to 
the  formal  dissolution  of  the  Plan  of  Union  in 
1837,  and  to  the  conducting  of  the  work  of  the 
church  by  the  other  branch,  through  agencies 
under  its  control  and  accountable  to  it. 

After  1 86 1,  no  reference  appears  on  the  records 
to  co-operation.  If  therefore  this  bond  has  be- 
come sundered,  the  positive  reason  for  the  re-union 
may  be  considered.  Aside  from  or  in  distinction 
from  the  will  of  the  great  Head  of  the  church,  it 
may  be  assumed  that  the  Inherent  Vitality  of 
THE  Presbyterian  body,  now  asserted  itself  with- 
out further  hindrance,  and  exerted  a  wholesome, 
healing  influence.  Its  Polity  scriptural,  its  Sys- 
tem of  Doctrine  almost  Scripture  itself,  and  its 
Principles  of  Action,  fidelity  to  Scripture,  alle- 
giance to _  Christ  and  devotion  to  the  truth  and  to 
the  church,  it  may  be  relied  upon  to  keep  the 
mind  from  being  ' '  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried 
about  by^every  wind  of  doctrine,"   to  prompt  to 


i  Ibid.,  p.  2S6. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 97 

"speaking  the  truth  in  love,"  and  to  compact  the 
fitly  joined  body  "by  that  which  every  joint  sup- 
plieth." 

Under  this  influence,  there  arose  a  feeling  akin 
to  nostalgia,  a  yearning  for  fellowship  with  absent 
kindred  ; — there  grew  a  conviction  that  the  needs 
of  our  land  and  of  the  world,  more  than  ever 
require  that  each  (denomination)  ' '  should  watch 
over  against  his  own  house  ;"'^ — there  was  awak- 
ened an  uneasiness  of  conscience  lest  the  law  of 
of  christian  love  which  "  thinketh  no  evil,"  may 
have  been  violated,  in  judging  a  brother  to  hold 
an  interpretation  of  doctrine  which  he  would  dis-  ■ 
avow,  and  treating  him  accordingly  ; — there  dawn-  : 
ed  a  clearer  perception  that,  when  all  conscien- 
tiously avow  their  acceptance  of  the  Standards, 
each,  claiming  exemption  from  judgment  by 
"another  man's  conscience,"  should  be  careful 
not  to  disfellowship  a  brother  for  entertaining  dif- 
ferent views  of  truth,  or  for  holding  nicer  shades  of 
interpretation,  because  of  different  mental  capacity, 
temperament,  education,  environment,  or  personal 
religious  experience.  '  ' 

All  these  we  may  conceive  to  have,  consciously 
or  unconsciously,  been  revived  with  the  reviving 
sense  of  denominational  life  and  responsibility,  and 

PROMPTED  THE  SUCCESSIVE  STEPS  TO  THE  RE- 
UNION. 


*  Neh.  VII 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

OFFICIAL  STEPS  IN  THE  PROCESS  OF  RE-UNION  ; 
BY  THE  ASSEMBLIES  ;  BY  THE  SYNOD  ;  BY  THE 
PRESBYTERIES. — ROLL  OF  THE  PRESBYTERY  OF 
HUDSON  IN  THE  PERIOD  OF  RE-UNION. 

The  simultaneous  meeting  of  both  the  Assem- 
blies in  the  city  of  St.  Louis  in  1866,  afforded 
happy  occasion  for  initiatory  steps  toward  re-union. 
Six  Presbyteries  of  the  O.  S.  Assembly,  overtured 
that  body  to  ' '  take  measures  to  secure  at  an  early 
day  the  organic  union  of  the  two. ' '  That  x\ssem- 
bly  adopted  the  following:  "Resolved,  i.  That 
this  Assembly  expresses  its  fraternal  affection  for  the 
other  branch  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  its 
earnest  desire  for  re-union  at  the  earliest  time  con- 
sistent with  agreement  'in  doctrine,  order,  and 
polity,  .  .  .  .  Resolved,  2.  That  it  be  recom- 
mended to  all  .    .    .    .  to  cherish  fraternal  feelings, 

....  and   to  avoid  all  needless   controversies. 

....  Resolved,  3.  That  a  committee  be  ap- 
pointed, provided  that  a  similar  committee  shall  be 
appointed  by  the  other  Assembly,  for  the  purpose 
of  conferring  in  regard  to  the  desirableness  and 
practicability  of  re-union,  ....  and  report  to 
the  next  General  Assembly.* 


*  Min.  O.  S.  Gen.  Assembly,  1866,  p.  44. 

(198) 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  1 99 

This  action  was  met  with  cordial  approval  and  a 
prompt  concert  of  action  from  the  other  As- 
sembly. A  joint  committee  drew  up  a  Plan 
of  Re-union,  which  ws  sent  down  to  the  Presby- 
teries. On  19  Sept.  following,  the  Presbytery  of 
Hudson,  O.  S.,  referred  the  "Plan"  to  a  com- 
mittee, which  reported  "That  while  we  believe  in 
the  oneness,  of  the  visible  Kingdom  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  that  its  members  are  '  bound  to 
maintain  a  holy  fellowship,'  yet  that  the  time 
does  not  seemto  have  yet  arrived,  when  the  Plan 
of  Union  proposed  by  the  Joint  Committee  can  be 
adopted.  "  The  latter  part  of  this  report  was  re- 
committed, with  instructions  to  reconsider  the 
same  and  report  at  the  next  Stated  Meeting.  In 
the  meantime  the  Plan  was  modified  by  the  Joint 
Committee,  and  no  further  action  was  called   for. 

The  Presbytery  of  Hudson,  N.  S.,  "  heartily  ap- 
proved the  action  of  the  General  Assembly  at  St. 
L/Ouis,  and  fully  sympathized  with  the  spirit  which 
led  to  it,  but  there  is  on  their  minutes  no  reference 
to  the  "Plan  of  Union"  proposed  by  the  Joint 
Committee,  as  such. 

On  18  Sept.  1867,  they  expressed  great  gratifica- 
tion with  the  spirit,  the  progress  and  the  results 
already  attained. 

The  labors  of  the  Joint  Committee  resulted  in 
adoption  by  both  Assemblies  of  a  satisfactory 
"Plan  of  Re-union,"  and  each  Assembly  sent  the 
following  question  down  to  the  Presbyteries  for  a 


200  HISTORY   OF 

categorical  answer,  to  be  given  on  or  before  the 
15th  Oct.  1869. 

"Do  you  approve  of  the  re-union  of  the  two 
bodies  now  claiming  the  name  and  rights  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of 
America,  on  the  following  basis,  viz.  :  "The  re- 
union shall  be  effected  on  the  doctrinal  and  eccle- 
siastical basis  of  our  common  Standards  ;  the  Scrip- 
tures of  the  Old  and  New  Testament  shall  be 
acknowledged  to  be  the  inspired  word  of  God,  and 
the  only  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  practice  ;  the 
Confession  of  Faith  shall  continue  to  be  sincerely 
received  and  adopted  as  containing  the  system  of 
doctrine  taught  in  the  Holy  Scriptures  ;  and  the 
Government  and  Discipline  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  shall  be  approved  as 
containing  the  principles  and  rules  of  our  polity  ?  " 

On  the  15  Sept.  1869,  the  O.  S.  Presbytery 
recorded  the  following  minute,  viz.  :  "The  ques- 
tion sent  down  by  the  General  Assembly  on  the 
subject  of  Re-union  with  the  other  branch  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  was  answered  in  the  Neg- 
ative.     Noes,  19.      Ayes,  12." 

The  Presbytery  of  Hudson,  N.  S.,  on  the  24th, 
of  the  same  month,  answered  b}-  a  "unanimous 
vote  in  the  affirmative,  taken  by  rising  and  with- 
out debate."  Their  Commissioners  were  instructed 
so  to  vote,  at  the  adjourned  meeting  of  the  Assem- 
bly, to  be  held  in  Pittsburgh  on  the  loth  of  Nov., 
next. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  20I 

On  the  lotli  of  Nov.  1869,  ^^^^  ^^o  Assemblies 
met,  in  different  churches,  in  the  city  of  Pitts- 
burgh. Bach  found  itself  standing  squarely  upon 
a  platform,  whose  four  planks,  supposed  to  have  been 
warped  by  exposure  to  the  use  of  fourteen  decades, 
now  ran  level  and  stronger  than  when  first  laid. 
Upon  this  platform  the  Assemblies  flowed  together 
literally, — became  one  body, — and  "praised  God 
from  whom  all  blessings  flow,"  while  the  Modera- 
tors stood  with  clasped  hands  in  the  sight  of  all 
the  people. 

There  was  unity  in  the  acceptance  of  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  Clinch,  there  was  unity  in  the 
animating  principle  of  union  with  and  allegiance 
to  Christ  as  the  Head  of  the  Church,  and  there 
was  unity  in  respect  to  csn'iying  on  the  work  of 
the  church  through  Presbyterian  agencies. 

On  18  April  1870,  the  Presbyter}^  of  Hudson 
convened  at  Washingtonville,  sent  two  of  their 
number  to  "convey  their  fraternal  salutations  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Hudson,  convened  at  Scotchtown, 
and  to  invite  arrangements  for  a  joint  meeting  at  an 
early  day,  of  the  members  of  the  tv/o  Presby- 
teries, to  confer  respecting  the  reconstruction  of 
the  two  bodies."* 

On  the  same  day  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson, 
at  Scotchtown,  Resolved:  "That  the  reading 
of  the  minutes  be  postponed  in  order  to  hear 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Seward  and  Mr.  Jirah  I.  Foot,  a  com- 


Min.  of  Presb.,  N.  S.,  Vol.  in,  p.  loi. 


202  HISTORY   OF 

mission  from  the  sister  Presbyter}^  of  Hudson." 
After  the  reception  of  their  message  it  was  Re- 
solved :  ' '  That  we,  the  members  of  this  Presby- 
tery cordially  agree  to  meet  the  members  of  our 
sister  Presbytery  of  Hudson,  in  convention  at  the 
First  Church  in  Middletown  on  the  first  Tuesday 
of  May  next  at   ii   o'clock   A.   M."t 

On  3  May,  the  proposed  Convention  was  held, 
according  to  the  arrangement. 

On  3  June  1870,  .the  General  Assembly  passed 
the  Enabling  Act,  constituting  the  synod  of  new 
YORK,  "to  consist  of  the  Presbyteries  and  parts  of 
Presbyteries  included  within  the  counties  of  New 
York,  Westchester,  Putnam,  Dutchess,  Rockland, 
Orange,  Ulster,  and  Sullivan,  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  and  within  New  England  ;  to  meet  on  the 
21  June  1870,  at  II  a.  m.,  in  the  First  Presbyte- 
rian Church  of  New  York,  and  to  be  opened  with 
a  sermon  by  the  Rev.  F.  R.  Masters,  D.  D. ,  or,  in 
his  absence,  by  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Newell,  D.D.,  and 
the  Synod  of  New  York  is  hereby  declared  to  be 
the  legal  successor  of  the  Synod  of  New  York, 
and  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  New 
Jersey,  and  as  such  entitled  to  the  possession 
and  enjoyment  of  all  the  rights  and  franchises, 
and  liable  to  the  performance  of  all  the  duties,  of 
those  Synods."* 

On  21  June   1870,    the   Synod  met  and  recon- 
structed the  Presbytery  of  Hudson  as  follows  : 


t  Mill,  of  Presb.,  O.  8.,  Vol.  viii,  p.  577. 
*  Mill,  of  General  Assembly,  1870,  p.  91. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  203 

"It  is  ordered  by  the  Synod  of  New  York  : 
That  all  the  churches  in  the  counties  of  Rockland, 
Sullivan  and  Orange,  with  the  exception  of  the 
towns  of  Newburgh,  Cornwall  and  New  Windsor, 
with  their  pastors,  and  all  ministers  resident  or  in 
active  work  within  the  same  limits,  be  the  pres- 
bytery OF  HUDSON,  to  meet  in  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Middletown  on  the  second  Tues- 
day of  Sept  next,  at  2  o'clock,  p.  m.,  .  .  .  .  and 
the  Presbytery  of  Hudson  is  hereby  declared  to  be 
the  legal  successor  of  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson,  O. 
S.,  and  of  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson,  N.  S.,  and 
as  such  entitled  to  the  possession  and  enjoyment  of 
all  the  rights  and  franchises,  and  liable  to  the  per- 
formance of  all  the  duties  of  the  said  Presby- 
teries. ' ' 

On  the  13  Sept.  1870,  the  reconstituted  Presbytery 
of  Hudson  met  in  the  First  Church  of  Middletown, 
pursuant  to  the  above  order,  and  was  opened  with 
a  sermon  by  Rev.  Richard  Bentley,  from  Isaiah 
Ix:  13,  "I  will  make  the  place  at  my  feet 
glorious. ' ' 

The  roll  of  Ministers  and  of  Churches  is  as 
follows  : 


MINISTERS. 

Ord. 

CHURCHES. 

Mem. 

Phinehas  Robinson, 

1816, 

William  R.  Timlow, 

^H.R. 

1819, 

William  D.  Snodgrass, 

tP. 

1821, 

Goshen, 

357. 

Rosea  Ball, 

H.R. 

1821, 

Charles  D.  Rosenthal, 

P. 

1822, 

Clarkstown,  (German 

.)   48. 

Holloway  W.  Hunt, 

JS.S. 

1824, 

Centreville, 

87. 

George  Pierson, 

P. 

1829, 

Florida,  First, 

158. 

204 

HISTORY   OF 

MINISTERS. 

Ord.     CHURCHES. 

Mem. 

Oscar  Harris, 

^.W.C.  1833, 

Obadiah  M.  Johnson, 

P.  1835,  Denton, 

102. 

Ralph  Bull, 

W.C.  1836, 

Oris  Fraser, 

W.C.  1839, 

Horace  Fraser, 

W.C.  1840, 

John  N.  Boyd, 

P,  1840,  Circleville, 

72. 

Henry  F.  Wadsworth, 

P.  1843,  Union ville. 

94- 

Thomas  Mack, 

P.  1843,  Hempstead, 

59. 

Richard  Bentley, 

P.  1844,  Montgomery, 

242. 

Slator  C.  Hepburn, 

P.  1845,  Hamptonburgh, 

193- 

Augustus  Seward, 

P.  1847,  Middletown,  First, 

439- 

Amasa  S.  Freeman, 

P.  1847,  Haverstraw,  Central, 

202. 

William  A.  Westcott, 

P.  1847,  Bloomingburgh, 

52. 

Daniel  N.  Freeland, 

P.  1848,  Monroe, 

72. 

Thomas  S.  Bradner, 

W.C.  1849, 

Luther  Ivittell, 

P.  1850,  Mount  Hope, 

158. 

Thomas  J.  Evans, 

P.  1 85 1,  Greenbush, 

100. 

David  Beattie, 

P.  1852,  Scotchtown, 

299. 

Alfred  P.  Botsford, 

P.  1853,  Portjervis, 

259- 

James  J.  McMahon, 

P.  1853,  Stony  Point, 

41. 

S.S.              Haverstraw,  First, 

151. 

J.  Napier  Husted, 

P.  1854,  Liberty, 

104. 

Archibald  S.  Stewart, 

P.  1855,  Waldberg, 

43. 

James  M.  Dickson, 

P.  1857,  Goodwill, 

157- 

Henry  A.  Harlow, 

P.  1858,  Florida,  Second, 

93. 

Floyd  A.  Crane, 

S.S.  1859,  Callicoon, 

36. 

James  Norris, 

S.S.  1859,  Rockland,  First, 

15. 

Duncan  C.  Niven, 

P.  1859,  Westtown, 

146. 

Goodloe  B.  Bell, 

S.S.  1849,  Ramapo, 

48. 

Thomas  Nichols, 

P.  1863,  Chester, 

200. 

Arthur  Harlow, 

P.  1863,  Washington  ville,  2nd,    88. 

Charles  Beattie, 

P.  1863,  Middletow^n,  2nd, 

292. 

Daniel  O.  Timlow, 

P.  1863,  Amity, 

92. 

Theron  Brittaiu, 

S.S.  1865,  Cochecton, 

60. 

S.S.              Damascus, 

12. 

Francis  L.  Patton, 

P.  1865,  Nyack, 

75- 

Benjamin  G.  Benedict, 

W.C.  1866, 

Francis  W.  Farries, 

P.  1868,  Otisville, 

76. 

HUDSON   PRKSBYTERY. 


205 


MINISTERS. 


Ord.      CHURCHES. 


Mem. 


John  V.  Griswold, 
Elijah  B.  Wells, 
James  R.  Campbell, 
John  Turner, 


*  Honorably  retired. 
charo:e. 


P.  1868,  Washingtonville,  ist,      85. 

P.  1869,  White  Lake,  130. 

P.  1869,  Ridgebury,  167. 

P.  1870,  Hopewell,  160. 

Vacant,  Jeffersonville,  (German)  76. 

Monticello,  180. 

Palisades,  34, 

Milford,  70. 

t  Pastor.     X  Stated  Supply.     I  Without 


V.    PERIOD  OF  RE-UNION. 

1870— 1888. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

SKETCHES  OF  THE  CHURCHES,  CONTINUED. 

I.  AMITY.— After  the  decease  of  Rev.  Daniel 
O.  Timlow,  18  Jan.  1885,  the  pulpit  was  supplied 
by  such  ministers  as  the  Session  could  obtain,  un- 
til, on  28  July  following,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Fitz- 
gerald, the  present  pastor,  was  installed. 

2.— BIvOOMINGBURGH.— On  19  Sept.  1871, 
Rev.  William  A.  Westcott  was  released.  He  was 
the  last,  to  sustain  the  relation  of  pastor  to  this 
church.  On  17  Sept.  1872,  the  only  remaining 
elder,  applied  to  the  Presbytery  for  a  letter  of  dis- 
mission. A  committee  was  appointed  to  give  let- 
ters to  all  the  members  who  might  apply  for  them, 
and  on  the  18  April  1877,  the  name  of  the  church 
was  dropped  from  the  roll.  By  provision  of  the 
deed,  the  title  to  the  property  reverted  to  the  heirs 
of  the  original  donor. 

3.  CAIvIvICOON— Was  supplied  by  Presbytery, 
until  in  1874,  Mr.  George  E.  Sanderson  was 
granted  leave  to  supply  them,  under  the  supervi- 
sion of  the  Committee  on  Missions.  Mr.  Sauder- 
(206) 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  "207 

son's  credentials  proving  unsatisfactory,  his  appli- 
cation to  be  received  was  denied,  and  his  labors  at 
Callicoon  ceased  in  1876.  The  Rev.  James  Norris 
preached  once  a  month  for  this  congregation  for  a 
number  of  3'ears,  but  their  numerical  and  financial 
strength  has  steadily  diminished.  In  1885,  arrange- 
ments were  made  for  preaching  every  other  week, 
by  Rev.  George  T.  Galbraith,  S.  S.,  at  Liberty. 
This  ended  in  Nov..  1887,  and  there  has  been  no 
service  held  in  the  church  since. 

4.  CENTREVILLE.— On  17  April  1871,  Rev. 
Holloway  W.  Hunt,  S.  S. ,  at  Centreville,  was  dis- 
missed to  the  "  Presbytery  of  Elizabeth  town," 
and  supplies  were  furnished  by  Presbyter}'  until  19 
Sept. ,  when  Rev.  William  A.  Westcott  was  called 
and  on  8  Oct.,  installed.  Mr.  Westcott  died  in  the 
pastoral  office  at  Centreville,  on  23  Feb.  1876. 

In  the  summer  of  1877,  Rev.  Charles  W.  Cooper 
was  called.  He  was  received  from  the  ' '  Presby- 
tery of  North  River"  on  18  Sept.,  of  that  year, 
and  remained  pastor-elect  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  on  16  May  1886.  The  Session  had  leave 
to  supply  their  own  pulpit,  until  in  the  fall  of  1887, 
Rev.  Thomas  Nelson,  of  the  "Presbytery  of 
Newton,,'  took  charge.  In  the  summer  of  1887, 
their  meeting  house  was  remodeled  and  greatly 
improved,  at  an  expense  of  about  $600. 

4.  CIR'CLEVILLE.— On  27  Jan.  1871,  Rev. 
Charles  H.  Park  was  called.  On  17  April  he  was 
received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Northumber- 
land."     He  served,  as  pastor  elect,  until  the  i6th 


208  ■  HISTORY   OF 

April  1872,  when  he  returned  the  call.  Rev.  Floyd 
A.  Crane  acted  as  Stated  Supply,  until  15  May 
1873,  when  Rev.  Charles  H.  Park  was  again  called 
and  installed.  He  remains  to  this  day.  A  most 
interesting  work  of  grace  in  the  latter  part  of  1887, 
resulted  in  an  accession  of  over  thirty  to  the  mem- 
bership. 

5.  CHESTER. —On  16  April  1872,  Rev. 
Theodore  A.  IvCggett  was  received  from  the  "  Pres- 
bytery of  New  York,"  and  on  2  May,  installed. 
On  29  Nov.  1 881,  he  was  released  and  dismissed 
to  the  "  PrCvSbytery  of  Brooklyn."  On  27  June 
1882,  Mr.  T.  Cumming  Beattie,  the  present  pastor, 
a  licentiate  of  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick, ' ' 
was  received,  ordained  and  installed. 

6.  CIvARKSTOWN,  German.— In  1859,  the 
German  population  of  Rockland  Co.  effected  an 
organization  and  erected  a  house  of  worship.  On 
I  Dec,  Rev.  J.  Wahrenberger  became  their  pastor 
and  remained  until  i  Dec.  1865,  w^hen  he  removed 
to  Paterson,  N.  J.  Rev.  Bartolomio  Krusi  was 
pastor  from  May  1866,  until  Nov.  1867.  On  2 
Dec.  1867,  Rev.  Carl  D.  Rosenthal  was  installed. 
He  died  on  2  May  1874,  in  the  seventy-eighth  year 
of  his  age.  On  22  Sept.  1874,  Mr.  George  Loock 
was  received  as  a  licentiate  of  the  "  Presbyter}^  of 
Newark,"  and  on  the  29th  he  was  ordained  and 
installed.  On  17  Sept.  1878,  he  was  released  and 
on  the  16  Oct.,  dismissed  to  the  "  Presbyter^^  of 
Morris  and  Orange."  On  24 June  1879,  Rev.  John 
U.  Tschudi  was  received  from  the   ' '  Presbytery  of 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  209 

Memphis,"  and  installed.  On  16  Sept.  1884,  the 
congregation  reqnested  that  the  pastoral  relation  of 
Mr.  Tschudi  to  them  might  be  dissolved.  Presby- 
tery after  hearing  all  parties  released  Mr.  Tschiidi, 
on  I  Jan.  1885.  Mr.  Tschudi  departed  tliis  life  at 
Warrensville,  N.  J.,  on  17  May  1887.      On  15  Mar. 

1885,  Rev.  Adolph  Schabehorn,  the  present  pastor, 
began  to  labor  in  that  congregation.      On  20  April 

1886,  he  was  received,  and  on  5  May,  installed. 

It  is  believed  that  in  this  congregation  the  Ger- 
man will  before  many  years  be  superseded  by  the 
English  tongue. 

7.  COCHECTON.  8.  DAMASCUS.— On 
26  July  1875,  the  pastoral  relation  of  Rev.  Theron 
Brittain  to  these  united  churches  was  dissolved. 
The  pulpit  was  supplied  by  Rev.  Brown  H.  Emer- 
son until  the  next  meeting  of  Presbytery.  On  i 
May  1876,  Rev.  George  E.  Northrup  was  ap- 
pointed Stated  I  Supply  for  one  year.  On  20  Mar. 
1877,  charges  affecting  the  moral  character  of  Mr. 
Northrup  were  "  dismissed  for  the  reason  that  the 
prosecutor,  not  being  a  member  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian Church,  was  beyond  the  reach  of  the  censure, 
which  in  the  event  of  the  charges  being  dis- 
proved, the  Book:of  Discipline  requires  Presbytery 
to  pronounce  and  inflict."  On  17  April  following, 
the  Session  of  the  Cochecton  Church,  requested 
that  the  charges  against  Mr.  Northrup  might  be 
investigated.  The  request  was  put  in  the  hands 
of  the  committee  on  the  affairs  of  the  Waldberg 
14 


2IO  HISTORY   OF 

Church,  for  advice  as  to  proper  course  to  be  pur- 
sued. After  an  exhaustive  examiuation  aud  a 
hearing  of  all  parties,  the  recommendatiou  of  the 
committee  that,  ' '  action  be  deferred  until  the  set- 
tlement of  a  suit  pending  in  the  civil  court,"  was 
adopted. 

Supplies  were  appointed  by  Presbytery,  once  a 
month,  until,  on  19  April  1881,  Rev.  Samuel  Mur- 
dock  was  received  from  the  "Presbytery  of  Was- 
ington  City,"  and  on  17  May  following,  installed. 
This  relation  continued  until  i  May  1887, 
when  he  was  released,  and  on  26  Oct.,  dismissed 
to  the  "  Presbytery  of  Geneva."  The  Damascus 
Church,  gradually  reduced  in  membership  by 
deaths  and  removals,  was,  on  22  Sept.  1885, 
dropped  from  the  roll,  and  its  remaining  members 
were  transferred  to  the  church  of  Cochecton. 

In  the  summer  of  1884,  the  meeting  house  in 
Cochecton  was  greatly  improved  and  beautified  at 
considerable  expense.  In  Jan.  1887,  a  disastrous 
flood,  laying  the  entire  village  under  its  icy 
waters,  rose  above  the  cushioned  seats  within, 
while  the  drifting  ice  broke  and  defaced  the  stones 
and  monuments  in  the  burial  ground  around  it. 
The  damage  however  has  been  repaired,  and  that 
people  are  anxiously  praying  that  a  pastor  may  be 
provided  for  them. 

9.  DENTON. — On  22  Oct.  1873,  the  pastoral 
relation  of  Rev.  Obadiah  M.  Johnson  was  dis- 
solved, having  continued  since  the  organization  of 
the  church,   a  period    of    thirty-four    years.       He 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  211 

died  at  Monsey,  Rockland  County,  on  7  Jan.  1881, 
in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  age.  The  church  has 
had  leave  to  supply  its  own  pulpit  since  the  death  of 
Mr.  Johnson.  For  several  years  Rev.  George  H. 
Hick,  of  "New  York  and  Brooklyn  Congrega- 
tional Association,"  served  them.  From  1879, 
until  20  Mar.  1883,  Rev.  David  McLeod  was 
Stated  Supply.  On  the  latter  date  he  w^as  dis- 
missed to  the  "Presbytery  of  Genesee  Valley." 
On  16  Sept.  1884,  a  special  committee  was  ap- 
pointed, which  reported  on  21  April  1885,  that 
they  had  secured  supplies  for  seventeen  Sabbaths, 
and  that  Rev.  George  H.  Morrill  had  just  been  en- 
gaged for  one  year.  Since  the  termination  of  Mr. 
Morrill's  engagement,  the  pulpit  has  been  filled  by 
such  supplies  as  could  be  obtained.  This  church 
number^  fifty  members,  with  a  Sunday  School  of 
about  seventy  scholars. 

II.  FIvORIDA.  12.  FLORIDA,  Second.— On 
15  May  1878,  Rev.  George  Pierson  was  released 
from  a  pastorate  of  thirty-nine  years,  and  retired 
on  a  life  annuity  of  $500.      He  died  2  Feb.  1880. 

On  17  April  1872,  Rev.  Henry  A.  Harlow  was 
released  from  the  Second  Church.  On  22  April 
1873,  Rev.  Elijah  L.  Burnet  was  received  from  the 
"Presbytery  of  Chicago,"  and  on  8  May  installed. 
On  21  Oct.  1874,  he  was  released,  and  on  17  Oct. 
1877,  dismissed  to  the  "  Presbytery  of  New^  York." 
On  15  June  1875,  Mr.  David  McLeod,  a  licentiate 
of  the  "Presbyter}^  of  New  Brunswick,"  was  re- 
ceived, ordained  and  installed.      On  15  May   1878, 


2  12  HISTORY   OF 

he  was  released,  receiving  the  consideration  of  the 
snm  of  $400. 

On  that  date,  the  organic  union  of  these  two 
churches  was  consummated.  Both  pastors  resigned, 
both  sessions  resigned,  the  combined  congregations 
under  a  Commission  of  Presbytery,  elected  a  new 
bench  of  elders,  when  ' '  the  union  was  declared 
complete,  carrying  with  it  the  roll  of  the  members 
of  each  church,  and  the  consent  of  the  members 
of  each  congregation. ' '  * 

On  22  April  1879,  Rev.  Asahel  L.  Clark  was 
received  from  the  "  Presbytery  of  Elizabeth." 

A  call  from  the  church  of  Florida  upon  Mr. 
Clark  was  presented  in  Presbytery,  accompanied 
with  a  statement  that  a  minority  of  twenty-one  had 
refused  to  make  the  call  unanimous,  and  "like- 
wise a  remonstrance  against  the  installation  of  Mr. 
Clark,  signed  by  fifty-foiir  persons  having  a  right 
to  vote  on  the  call."  "  x\fter  a  protracted  discus- 
sion it  was  Resolved,  That  the  call  be  placed  in 
the  hands  of  Mr.  Clark."  He  accepted  the  call 
and  was  installed  on  the  29  April  1879.  On  16 
Sept.  following,  "sundry  members  of  the  church 
of  Florida  represented  their  grievances  to  Presby- 
tery and  expressed  their  desire  to  be  organized  as  a. 
second  Presbyterian  church,  "f  The  session  was 
directed  to  give  letters  of  dismission  to  all  who 
should  apply  for  them  ;  to  which  Rev.  Mr.  Pierson, 
for  himself  and  others  gave  notice  of  dissent.      The 


"■•  Mill,  of  Presb.,  Vol.  ix,  p.  456. 

t  Mill,  of  Pres.,  Vol.  ix,  pp.  515-517. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  213 

dissent  was  accepted  and  entered  on  the  record. 
On  the  30  Sept.  1879,  sixty  persons  presented  such 
letters  to  a  commission  of  Presbytery,  and  were 
duh'  "  organized  as  a  chnrch,  to  be  known  as  the 
'  Second  Presbyterian  Church  of  Florida, '  under  the 
care  of  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson,  "f  On  20  April 
1880,  the  Trustees  of  this  Second  Church  asked 
for  a  "  commission  to  investigate  the  grounds  on 
which  the  First  Church  refuse  to  surrender  the 
property,  which  in  equity  belongs  to  the  Second 
Church."!  The  commission  was  appointed.  The 
commission  reported  18  April  1882,  "that  in  their 
opinion,  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  has 
moral  rights  in  the  property  '  carried  into  the 
union  by  the  former  Second  Presbyterian  Church, 
estimated  to  be  worth  $7,250,  for  which  they  re- 
ceived no  pecuniary  consideration,'  which  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  exercise  of  a  Christian 
spirit,  ought  to  recognize.  "§  To  this  report,  "  the 
officers  of  the  First  Church  Florida,"  presented  a 
protest,  which  is  entered  on  the  record,  in  which 
they  say  "inasmuch  as  the  Board  of  Tiustees  are 
not  answerable  to  the  Presbytery,  no  result  of  in- 
vestigation by  this  committee  can  compel  or  even 
so  much  as  authorize  any  action  by  that  Board, 
who  are  answerable  to  the  civil  courts  alone. 
They  stand  ready,  as  we  are  advised,  to  make  full 


t  Ibid.,  p.  530. 
t  Ibid.,  p.  539. 
^  Ibid.     Vol.  X,  p.  72. 


214  HISTORY   OF 

answer  and  proof  to  those  courts  if  occasion  shall 
demand. ' '  * 

On  lo  June  1883,  Mr.  Clark  was  released,  and  on 
22  Sept.  1885,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  "  Hartford 
Central  Association."  On  17  Oct.  1883,  Rev. 
Robert  B.  Campbell  was  received  from  the  ' '  Pres- 
bytery of  Paducah,"  and  on  7  Oct.  1884,  he  was 
installed  in  the  First  Church,  Florida.  On  25 
Dec.  1887,  he  announced  his  intention  of  enter- 
ing the  ministry  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  on 
10  Jan.  1888,  he  was  released.  His  name  was 
dropped  from  the  roll. 

On  20  Sept.  1880,  Rev.  Stephen  D.  Noyes  was 
received  from  the  "  Presbytery  of  Baltimore,"  and 
on  5  Oct. ,  he  was  installed,  in  the  Second  Church. 
On  20  Mar.  1883,  ^^^  ^^^  released  and  dismissed  to 
the  "  Classis  of  Kingston."  The  church  then  had 
leave  to  supply  their  own  pulpit.  On  14  June 
1 88 1,  Rev.  Henry  K.  Decker  was  received  from 
the  "  Classis  of  Illinois,"  and  in  Dec.  1883,  became 
Stated  Supply.  He  continued  his  labors  until  19 
April  1887,  when  he  was  dismissed  to  the  "Pres- 
bytery of  Utica."  The  death,  of  the  principal 
supporters  of  this  organization,  and  their  heavy 
financial  obligations,  made  it  appear  wise  to  dis- 
band. On  31  May  1887,  Rev.  Eugene  L.  Mapes 
was  authorized  to  issue  letters  of  dismission  to  the 


*  Ibid. ,  p.  84,  85  and  86.  (The  great  length  of  these  papers  for- 
bids their  quotation  in  full.  The  last  paper,  marked  ^'^  is 
signed  by  four  elders  and  six  trustees.    H.  A.  H.) 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  215 

remaining  members,  and  the  name  of  the  Second 
Church  of  Florida  was  dropped  from  the  roll. 

13.  GOODWILL.— In  the  year  1 871, the  church 
edifice  was  enlarged  and  remodeled  at  a  cost  of 
nearly  nine  thousand  dollars,  and  the  new  house, 
beautifully  frescoed  and  furnished,  was  rededicated 
on  20  July. 

On  16  Sept.  1879,  the  Presbytery  united  with 
the  cono;reofation  in  the  celebration  of  their  one 
hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary.  .  After  the  exer- 
cises, which  were  of  an  exceedingly  interesting 
nature,  it  was  Resolved,  "  That  we  as  a  Presbyter^^ 
extend  our  hearty  congratulations  to  this  congre- 
gation and  to  their  pastor,  on  the  peculiarly  pleas- 
ant and  auspicious  occasion  of  the  one  hundred  and 
fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  organization  of  their 
church,  upon  the  spot  where  we  are  convened." 

On  17  April  1883,  Rev.  James  M.  Dickson  was 
released  and  dismissed  to  the  "Reformed  Classis 
of  New  York."  On  11  Mar.  1884,  Rev.  David  F. 
Bonner,  the  present  pastor,  was  received  from  the 
"  U.  P.  Presbytery  of  Caledonia,"  and  on  10  April 
he  was  installed. 

14.  GOSHEN.— On  22  Nov.  1871,  the  present 
massive  and  beautiful  church  edifice  was  dedicated. 
Its  dimensions  are  one  hundred  and  five  by 
sixty-two  feet,  and  the  chapel  forty-six  by  thirty 
feet.  Its  steeple  of  stone,  rises  one  hundred 
and  eighty-six  feet  from  the  ground.  It  will  seat 
one  thousand  people,  and  cost  with  all  its  furnish- 
ings $154,328.50. 


2l6  HISTORY   OF 

On  17  Oct.  1883,  Rev.  Lee  W.  Beattie  was  re- 
ceived from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  North  River, ' ' 
and  became  assistant  to  Rev.  Dr.  Snodgrass.  He 
remained  until  22  Sept.  1885,  when  he  was  dis- 
missed to  the  "  Presbytery  of  Troy."  On  12  Nov. 
1885,  Dr.  Snodgrass  requested  the  Presbytery  to 
dissolve  his  pastoral  relation,  naming  the  increased 
demands  upon  his  decreasing  energies  as  the  reason. 
The  congregation  concurred  in  the  request  by  con- 
stituting him  "Pastor  Emeritus,  with  a  salary  of 
$800,  and  the  free  use  of  the  parsonage  during  the 
remainder  of  his  natural  life."  The  sentiment  and 
feeling  of  the  Presbytery  were  expressed  in  the 
following  Resolution:  "Whilst  assenting  to  the 
request  of  Rev.  William  D.  Snodgrass,  that  his 
pastoral  relation  to  the  church  of  Goshen  be  dis- 
solved, Presbytery  desires  to  place  on  record  its 
sorrow  that  his  advanced  years  should  render  such 
a  step  necessary,  and  also  its  appreciation  of  the 
noble  spirit  which  the  church  has  manifested  in 
making  such  liberal  provision  for  the  comfort  of 
their  venerable  pastor  in  his  declining  days." 

On  5  Feb.  18S6,  Rev.  Robert  B.  Clark,  the 
present  pastor,  was  received  from  the  "  Presbytery 
of  Chicago,"  and  installed. 

Dr.  Snodgrass  continued  to  preach  occasionally, 
and  filled  the  pulpit  only  a  few  Sabbaths  before  his 
decease,  which  occurred  on  28  May  1886.  Had  he 
lived  till  the  30th  of  June,  he  would  have  filled 
out  ninety  years  of  earthly  life.      He  died  an  old 


HUDSON   PRKSBYTERY.  217 

man,  and  full  of  years,  full  of  experiences,  and  full 
of  graces. 

The  year  1886,  was  further  made  memorable  in 
the  history  of  this  church  by  the  erection  of  a 
beautiful  parsonage,  upon  the  site  of  the  old  one. 

15.  GRBENBUSH.^^— The  twenty-one  years 
pastorate  of  Rev.  Jared  Dewing  ended  on  8  Oct. 
1855.  In  April  1841,  he  was  released  from  charge 
of  Nyack  church,  and  gave  all  his  time  to  Green- 
bush.  On  12  Nov.  1855,  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Evans 
became  Stated  Supply,  on  17  June  following,  he 
was  installed,  and  for  twenty-two  years  continued 
to  minister  to  them.  The  re-union  brought  the 
name  of  this  church  back  to  the  roll  of  this  Pres- 
bytery, together  with  all  those  in  Rockland 
County.  The  pastoral  relation  of  Mr.  Evans 
ceased  on  i  Aug.  1877,  ^^^^  ^^  ^^  April  1878,  he 
was  dismissed  to  the  "  Presbytery  of  Brooklyn. " 
Rev.  Henry  E.  Decker  immediately  followed  as 
Stated  Supply,  and  so  continued  until  11  Nov. 
1883.  On  the  night  of  24  Oct.  1882,  the  church 
and  parsonage  were  burned  to  the  ground, 
the  inmates  of  the  house  losing  all  their  effects 
and  barely  escaping  with  their  lives.  A  second 
time  this  church  edifice  arose  from  the  ashes,  re- 
modeled and  beautified  for  the  public  w.orship  of 
the  Triune  God,  to  whom  it  was  dedicated  on  27 
Nov.  1883.  This  happy  result  was  largely  due  to  the 
efforts  of  Mr.  Decker.      On  17  April  1883,  Presby- 


*  Ivocal  History  by  S.  B.  Huested,  Esq. 


2l8  HISTORY   OF 

tery  resolved,  "  That  the  request  of  the  church  of 
Greenbush  for  aid  in  rebuilding  their  church  edi- 
fice, be  endorsed  by  the  Presbytery,  and  that  our 
churches  be  recommended  to  aid  them  by  collec- 
tions." On  22  April  1884,  "  a  paper  from  Green- 
bush,  gratefully  acknowledging  donations  of  money 
from  churches  and  individuals,  ....  was  read, 
accepted  and  placed  on  file."  In  1886,  the  par- 
sonage was  rebuilt  in  modern  style,  and  this  hand- 
some church  property,  valued  at  $7,000,  has  upon 
it  but  $800  indebtedness. 

After  Mr.  Decker's  removal  to  Florida,  Mr. 
Charles  H.  Lester  preached  at  Greenbush  for  one 
year  from  2  Dec.  1883.  An  arrangement  was 
then  made  with  Rev.  Charles  S.  Hageman,  D.D., 
of  the  ' '  Classis  of  Poughkeepsie, ' '  to  supply 
them,  until,  on  24  June  1887,  Frederick  J.  Stan- 
ley, of  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  New  York, ' '  was 
called,  and  on  26  Oct.  following,  he  w^as  received 
and  installed.  This  church  has  enjoyed  three 
special  revivals  of  religion,  in  the  years  1821, 
1658  and  1876. 

16.  HAMPTONBURGH.— History  and  tradi- 
tion unite  in  testifying  to  the  ability  and  godly 
character  of  the  pastors  of  this  church  from  the 
beginning.  For  one  hundred  and  twenty  years  its 
pulpit  has  given  out  no  uncertain  sound.  A  Sun- 
day School  has  been  maintained  without  serious 
interruption  since  1828.  Its  contributions  to  the 
benevolent  work  of  the  church  have  been 
perennial,   and   its   Woman's   Missionary  Society, 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  219 

organized  in  Mar.  1880,  stands  among  the  first  in 
the  Presbytery  for  regularity  in  meeting  and 
liberality  in  giving.  The  end  and  aim  of  its  life 
seems  ever  to  have  been  to  serve  and  glorify 
Christ.  There  are  one  hundred  and  twenty-six 
communicants. 

17.  HAVERSTRAW,  First.  *— There  have 
been  three  seasons  of  special  religious  interest  in 
this  church  during  this  period.  In  1872,  fifty-nine 
were  received  on  their  confession  of  Christ.  In 
1876,  thirty-three  more  were  added  ;  and  in  1887, 
more  than  a  score  publicly  professed  their  allegi- 
ance to  Him.  In  the  forty-eight  years  since  the 
reorganization  of  this  church,  there  have  been  as 
many  as  five  hundred  additions  to  its  membership, 
and  its  contributions  in  various  ways  to  the  cause 
of  Christ  have  not  been  less  than  $75,000.  There 
are  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  communicants. 

18.  HAVERSTRAW,  Central.— This  is  one 
of  the  churches  brought  into  this  Presbytery  by 
the  re-union.  It  was  organized  by  a  committee  of 
the  "Fourth  Presbytery  of  New  York,"  on  22 
April  1846,  with  nine  members,  and  two  elders. 
On  the  last  Sabbath  in  June,  Mr.  Amasa  S.  Free- 
man, just  graduated  from  Union  Theological  Sem- 
inary, took  charge  of  the  infant  church  and  remains 
with  it  to  this  day.  On  21  Aug.,  the  corner-stone 
of  a  meeting  house  was  laid,  and  upon  it,  two 
months  later,  a  tornado  laid  the  ruins  of  the  house 


Eocal  History,  by  Rev.  J.  J.  McMahoii. 


220  HISTORY   OF 

itself.  The  horse-shed,  inclosed  for  a  carpenters' 
shop,  was  made  to  do  service  on  the  first  day  of  the 
week  as  a  sanctuary,  until,  on  7  Feb.  1847,  ^^^ 
basement  could  be  used.  The  completed  structure 
was,  on  the  third  Sabbath  of  the  next  September, 
dedicated  to  the  service  of  the  Triune  God.  On  14 
April  1847,  -'^^-  I^reeman  was  ordained  ^^  sine 
titiilo^^^  and  on  25  April  1849,  ^^  was  installed.  In 
i860,  the  meeting  house,  which  could  no  longer 
accommodate  the  growing  congregation,  was  en- 
larged and  greatly  improved,  and  on  29  Aug.,  it 
was  reopened.  In  June  1871,  the  pastor  preached 
and  published  an  historical  discourse  entitled  "Our 
Silver  Wedding. "  In  1877  he  received  the  title 
of  "D.D."  The  fortieth  anniversary  of  his  pas- 
torate was  also  celebrated,  with  appropriate  cere- 
monies ;  none  more  appropriate  than  the  presenta- 
tion of  a  well  filled  purse.  Dr.  Freeman  retains 
the  office  of  superintendent  of  his  sunday-school, 
which  he  has  held  during  a  large  part  of  his  min- 
istry. He  has  had  the  happiness  of  welcoming  to 
the  communion  of  the  church,  seven  hundred  and 
sixty-six  persons,  a  large  portion  of  them  on  con- 
fession of  their  faith  in  Christ.  There  are  now 
two  hundred  and  seventy-five  communicants.  * 

19.  HEMPSTEAD.— This  church  was  restored 
to  the  roll  of  this  Presbytery  by  the  re-union,^  and 
with  it  comes  back  also  the  familiar  name  and 
venerable  form  of  Rev.  Thomas  Mack,  as  its  pas- 
tor. There  are  fifty-one  members. 
'■  Local  History,  by  Rev.  Amasa  S.  Freeman,  D.D. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  221 

20.  HOPEWELL.— On  3  May  1870,  Mr.  John 
Turner  was  received  as  a  licentiate  from  the 
''Presbytery  of  New  York,"  and  on  the  26th  he 
was  ordained  and  installed.  His  labors  have  been 
owned  of  God,  and  the  membership  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty,  in  1870,  has  not  only  held  good  against 
a  steady  depletion  by  deaths  and  dismissals,  but 
has  increased,  to  one  hundred  and  seventy-one. 
Mr.  Turner  is  still  pastor  of  this  strong  and  united 
country  church. 

21.  JEFFERSON  VILLE,  German.— On  19 
Oct.  1870,  Rev.  x^dolph  Rahn  was  received  from 
the  "  Presbytery  of  North  River,"  and  on  12  Nov., 
installed.  On  21  Oct.  1874,  he  was  released  and 
on  21  Sept.  1875,  dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of 
Boston."  On  19  April  1875,  Rev.  Gerhardt  W.  T. 
Landau  was  received  from  the  "South  Classis  of 
Bergen,"  and  on  9  June  he  was  installed.  On  i'] 
Oct.  1877,  he  was  released  and  on  16  April  1878, 
dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of  Washington  City." 
Rev.  i\ugustus  Wetterstrom  at  once  succeded  Mr. 
Landan  as  supply.  He  was  received  from  "  Ger. 
Ev.  Prot.  Synod  of  the  West,"  on  17  Sept.,  and 
on  12  Nov.  1878,  he  was  installed.  On  11  April 
1880,  he  was  seized  with  hemorrhage  during  the 
morning  services  and  died  before  reaching  his 
house  from  the  pulpit. 

On  27  May  1881,  Rev.  Hein  W.  Seibert  was 
received  from  the  "Presbytery  of  Newark,"  and 
on  28  June  following,  installed.  On  17  April  1883, 
he  was  released  and  dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery 


222  HISTORY   OF 

of  Cincinnati."  On  17  Oct.  1883,  Rev.  Ferdinand 
Bernhardt  was  received  on  examination.  The  date 
of  his  installation  is  wanting. 

On  20  April  1886,  he  was  released  and  dismissed 
to  the  "  Central  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia." 

On  21  Sept.  1886,  a  call  was  read  for  Rev. 
George  G.  Knus,  w4io  had  acted  as  supply  since 
June.  The  call  was  "found  in  order  and  laid  on 
the  table,  pending  the  reception  of  Mr.  Knus  to 
membership  in  this  body."  His  credentials  were 
referred  to  a  committee,  which  "recommended 
that  Mr.  Knus  be  permitted  under  the  care  of  the 
Presbytery,  to  supply  them  until  the  next  stated 
meeting. ' '  '^ 

There  has  been  no  report  from  this  church  since. 

22.  LIBERTY. — During  the  seventeen  years 
pastorate  of  Rev.  J.  N.  Husted,  the  old  meeting 
house  on  the  hill,  was  taken  down  and  rebuilt  in 
the  village.  Mr.  Husted  was  released  on  5  May 
1885.  About  the  time  of  his  release  the  parsonage 
was  sold  and  a  new  one  purchased,  situated  nearer 
the  meeting  house. 

On  22  Sept.  following.  Rev.  George  T.  Galbraith 
was  received  from  the  "  U.  P.  Presbytery  of  Ver- 
mont," and  appointed  Stated  Supply. 

23.  MIDDLBTOWN,  First.— On  i  Oct.  1879, 
Rev.  Augustus  Seward,  D.D.,  was  released.  On 
21  Sept.  1880,  a  call  upon  Rev.  E.  C.  Olney  was 
read  and  found  in  order.      After  hearing  com.mis- 


"  Mill,  of  Presb.,  Vol.  x,  p.  248. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  223 

sioners,  and  also  those  representing  a  large  minority 
of  the  congregation,  Presbytery  judged  it  inexpe- 
dient to  prosecute  the  call  further,  and  urged  both 
the  majority,!  and  the  minority  to  endeavor  peace- 
ably to  unite  on  some  other  person. 
On  9  Feb.  1881,  Rev.  John  R.  Lewis  was  received 
from  the  "  Presbytery  of  Syracuse,"  and  installed. 
His  pastorate  terminated,  4  Oct.  1885. 

On  19  April  1886,  Rev.  Thomas  Gordon,  D.D., 
the  present  pastor,  was  received  from  the  ' '  Presby- 
tery of  Alton,"  and  on  13  May  following,  he  was 
installed.  During  the  pastorate  of  Dr.  Gordon  the 
interior  of  the  church  edifice  has  been  renovated, 
and  a  new  parsonage  built,  valued  at  $9000. 

12.  MIDDLETOWN,  Second.— Rev.  Charles 
Beattie  continues  the  faithful  and  efficient  pastor. 
In  1883,  the  church  edifice  was  renovated  and 
improved.  They  have  enjoyed  four  seasons  of 
special  refreshing  from  on  high,  while  the  growth 
in  membership,  in  strength,  in  influence  and  in 
benevolence  has  been  steady.  The  present  mem- 
bership is  three  hundred  and  eighty.  They  con- 
duct a  Sunday  School  of  three  hundred  and  fifty 
members,  a  ' '  Ladies'  x\id  Society, "  a  "  Ladies' 
Missionary  Society,"  and  a  "  Young  People's 
Society,"  similar  in  purpose  to  Societies  of  Chris- 
tian Endeavor.  Present  condition  peaceful  and 
outlook  bright.  * 


^  Local  History  by  Rev.  Charles  BeaUie. 


224  HISTORY   OF 

25.  MILFORD.— On  19  Sept.  1871,  Rev. 
Cyrus  Offer  was  received  from  the  "Susquehanna 
Congregational  Association,"  He  was  supply  at 
Milford  for  one  year,  in  1876-1,  and  was  dismissed 
on  17  Sept.  1872,  to  the  "Presbytery  of  Albany." 
Rev.  John  Reid  was  supply  during  the  summer  of 
1872,  and  Rev.  L.  C.  Lockwood,  for  four  months 
from  Dec.  1873.  On  21  April  1874,  Mr.  Eugene 
H.  Mateer,  a  licentiate  of  the  "Presbytery  of 
Huntingdon,"  was  received,  and  on  25  June, 
ordained  and  installed.  During  his  pastorate  the 
present  commodious  parsonage  was  built.  On  10 
Feb.  1884,  Rev.  Abraham  S.  Gardiner  was  received 
from  the  "  Presbytery  of  Boston,"  and  on  the  27th, 
he  was  installed.  Through  his  efforts  and  influence 
the  church  edifice  was  completed,  and  the  Presby- 
tery joined  in  the  services  of  dedication  on  22  Sept. 
1885.  Since  that  time  through  the  munificence  of 
Gov.  William  Bross,  of  Chicago,  a  fine  "Thomas  " 
clock  and  bell  have  been  placed  in  the  tower. 
Two  of  the  beautiful  stained-glass  windows  are 
"Memorials."  Mr.  Gardiner,  still  ministers  to 
them,  and  it  is  hoped  that  he  may  be  spared  to  see 
the  spiritual  prosperity  of  the  church  for  which  he 
has  been  enabled  to  do  so  much  in  respect  to 
material  interests. 

26.  MONROE.— After  the  release  of  Rev. 
Daniel  N.  Freeland  on  23  Oct.  1881,  this  church 
secured  temporary  supplies,  until,  on  17  April 
1882,  Rev.  Thomas  B.  Thomas,  the  present  pastor, 
was    received    from    the    "Welsh    Presbvtery    of 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  225 

Northern  Pennsylvania,"  and  on  i6  May  follow- 
ing, lie  was  installed. 

27.  MOUNT  HOPE.— On  3  Oct.  1881,  Rev. 
Luther  Littell  was  released  from  his  long  pastorate 
of  thirty-one  years  ;  and  on  17  April  1883,  he  was 
dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of  Lansing. "  On 
that  same  day.  Rev.  Thomas  Fitzgerald  was  re- 
ceived from  the  "  Presbytery  of  Newton  "  and  in- 
stalled. On  16  June  1885,  he  was  releavSed.  Since 
that  time  the  pulpit  has  been  very  irregularly  sup- 
plied, and  the  membership  has  gradually  diminished. 

27.  MONTGOMERY.  —  In  Jan.  1873,  Rev. 
John  Ward  commenced  his  labors,  and  22  May 
following,  was  installed.  He  was  releavSed  on  19 
April  1875,  and  on  16  April  1878,  dismissed  to 
the  "Presbytery  of  Newark."  During  his  pas- 
torate twenty-five,  chiefly  from  the  Sunday  School 
united  with  the  church,  and  five  elders  were  added 
to  the  Session.  The  present  pastor.  Rev.  James  C. 
Forsythe,  began  his  ministry  here  in  July  1875. 
On  21  Sept.,  he  was  received  from  the  "  Classis 
of  Geneva,"  and  on  14  Oct.,  he  was  installed.  Up- 
wards of  eighty-five  souls  have  been  received  on 
confession  of  Christ,  and  sixty-two  by  letter  during 
his  pastorate. 

29.  MONTlCELIvO.— On  15  Nov.  1870,  Rev. 
T.  Madison  Dawson  was  received  from  the  "Pres- 
bytery of  Nev/  York,"  and  on  6  Dec.  installed. 
On  17  Sept.  1872,  he  was  released.  During  his 
pastorate  the  present  parsonage  was  bought.  On  2 
15 


2  26  HISTORY    OF 

Nov.  1872,  Rev.  Henry  A.  Harlow  commenced  his 
labors,  and  on  5  June  following,  he  was  installed. 
On  17  April  1877,  he  was  released,  and  supplies 
were  appointed. 

On  16  April  1878,  Rev.  John  P.  Scott,  D.D., 
was  received  from  the  "Presbytery  of  Detroit," 
and  on  7  May,  installed.  On  18  July  1882,  he 
was  released  and  dismissed  to  the  "  Presbytery  of 
Cincinnati."  During  his  pastorate  the  interior  of 
the  church  edifice  was  greatly  improved.  On  i  Dec. 
1882,  Rev.  Hugh  B.  McCauley  began  his  labors 
as  pastor-elect.  He  was  received  from  the  "  Pres- 
bytery of  Jersey  City,"  on  5  June  1883.  On  i 
Nov,  following,  he  returned  his  call,  and  on  22 
April  1884,  he  was  dismissed  to  the  "  Presby- 
tery of  New  Brunswick." 

The  Rev.  Fenwick  T.  Williams  was  called  on 
18  Mar.  1884.  On  16  Sept.  he  was  received  from 
the  "  Presbytery  of  North  River,"  and  on  30th, 
installed.  During  the  present  year  a  new  and  fine- 
toned  Troy  bell  has  been  placed  in  the  steeple. 

30.  NYACK.— On  10  May  1841,  the  "Presby- 
tery of  New  York,"  divided  the  united  church  of 
Greenbush  and  Nyack,"  into  two  distinct  organi- 
zations, continuing  both,  under  the  pastoral  care 
of  Rev.  Jared  Dewing.  On  14  June  following,  the 
Presbytery  released  Mr.  Dewing,  and  this  church 
entered  upon  its  new  career,  with  sixty  members 
and  five  elders.  On  25  Oct.  1841,  Rev.  Charles 
M.  Oakley  was  installed.  In  Sept.  1843,  ^^'^• 
Oakley  was  released.      On  23  Oct.  following.  Rev. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  227 

Joseph  Penny,  D.D.,  was  called,  and  on  30  Nov., 
installed.  In  April  1847,  ^^-  Penny  was  released. 
On  26  Oct.  1847,  Rev.  Isaac  S.  Davison  was  in- 
stalled. Dnring  his  pastorate  the  parsonage  was 
bnilt,  and  the  church  repaired.  On  19  Oct.  1852, 
he  was  released. 

On  31  May  1853,  Rev.  Joseph  Cory  was  installed. 
In  1867,  his  pastorate  closed.  On  30  Sept.  1867, 
Rev.  Francis  L.  Patton  was  called,  and  on  25  Nov. 
following,  he  was  installed.  On  26  May  1871, 
Mr.  Patton  was  released  and  dismissed  to  the 
''Presbytery  of  Brooklyn." 

On  16  April  1872,  Rev.  A.  McElroy  Wylie  was 
received  from  the  "  Presbytery  of  Brooklyn,"  and 
on  25th,  installed.  On  19  Sept.  1876,  Mr.  Wylie 
was  released,  and  on  17  April  1877,  dismissed  to 
the  "Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  North."  On  3 
Oct.  1877,  ^^-  George  H.  Wallace,  a  licentiate  of 
the  "Presbytery  of  New  York,"  was  received 
ordained  and  installed.  On  i  Jan.  1881,  his  pas- 
torate terminated,  and  on  3  Mar.  1883,  he  was 
dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of  Monroe." 

On  17  May  1881,  Rev.  John  E.  Lloyd,  the 
present  pastor,  was  received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery 
of  Utica,"  and  on  14  June,  installed. 

31.  OTISVII.LB.— On  14  June  1871,  Mr. 
Robert  H.  Craig  was  received  as  a  licentiate  of  the 
"Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick,"  and  on  27th  he 
was  ordained  and  installed.  On  18  Mar.  he  was 
released  and  dismissed  to  the  "  Presbvterv  of  Lack- 


2  28  HISTORY   OF 

awaiina. "      During  his  pastorate  the  parsonage  was 
completed  and  paid  for. 

On  20  Oct.  1884,  Rev.  John  Service,  the  present 
pastor,  was  received  from  the  "  U.  P.  Presbytery 
of  Albany,"  and  on  20  Nov.  following,  he  was 
installed. 

32.  PALISADES.— On  23  April  1863,  it  was 
resolved  to  have  a  church.  On  11  May,  Rev. 
Joseph  Greenleaf,  Jr.,  was  engaged  to  preach  until 
I  Dec.  The  first  service,  at  which  thirty  were 
present,  was  held  on  15  May,  in  the  Old 
Methodist  meeting  house,  and  a  Sunday  School,  of 
seven  scholars,  was  begun.  On  7  June,  work  was 
commenced  on  the  foundations  for  a  house  of  wor- 
ship. On  23  Sept.  the  society  was  incorporated 
with  eight  trustees,  and  two  persons  were  elected 
to  the  offices  of  elder  and  deacon  respectively.  On 
I  Oct.  the  congregation  had  increased  to  eighty 
persons,  and  the  attendance  at  the  Sunday  School 
to  ninety-three.  On  14  Oct.  the  Palisades  church 
was  organized  by  the  "  Presbytery  of  New  York." 
On  the  2ist,  Rev.  Joseph  Greenleaf,  Jr.,  was  called. 
He  continued  his  labors  until  2  April  1866.  The 
bell  was  rung  for  the  first  time  at  midnight  of  31 
Dec.  1863,  and  the  first  service  was  held  in  the  new 
church  on  3  Jan.  1864. 

The  Rev.  John  K.  Demarest  was  pastor  from  16 
Oct.  1866,  until  13  Feb.  1870.  At  the  re-union 
this  church  fell  within  the  bounds  of  the  Presby- 
tery of  Hudson  and  was  enrolled  on  13  Sept.  1870. 
Rev.  Aaron  H.  Hand,  D.D.,  was  called  on  18  Oct. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  229 

1870.  On  15  Nov.  he  was  received  from  the 
"Presbytery  of  Newton,"  and  on  14  June  1871, 
installed.  On  16  Sept.  1879,  Dr.  Hand  was 
released,  and  on  3  Mar.  1880,  he  departed  this  life. 
On  26  Dec.,  Rev.  J.  William  Mcllvain  began 
his  labors.  On  16  Feb.  1880,  he  was  received 
from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Lehigh, ' '  and  installed. 
On  19  Sept.  1882,  he  was  released  and  dismissed 
to  the  "Presbytery  of  Baltimore."  On  17  Oct. 
1883,  Mr.  Newton  L.  Reed,  the  present  pastor, 
was  received  as  a  licentiate  of  the  ' '  Presbytery  of 
Cayuga,"  and  on  4  Dec,  installed.  The  member- 
ship is  eighty-four,  and  the  little  Sunday  School  of 
seven  members  in  1863,  is  now  augmented  to  a 
hundred.  * 

33.  PORT  JERVIS.— On  20  Oct.  1884,  Rev. 
Alfred  P.  Botsford  was  released  and  dismissed  to 
the  ' '  Presbytery  of  West  Jersey. ' '  The  Session 
had  leave  to  supply  the  pulpit.  On  22  iVpril  1885, 
Mr.  James  A.  McWilliams  was  licensed,  and  on  16 
June  following,  ordained  and  installed  in  the 
pastoral  office,  which  he  still  holds. 

In  April  1887,  fifty  additions  to  the  membership 
were  reported  on  confession  of  Christ,  and  fifteen 
by  letter,  increasing  the  total  to  three  hundred  and 
thirty-two. 

34.  RAMAPO. — See  complete  history,  p.  171. 
34.     RIDGEBURY.— On  16  April  1872,   Rev. 

Charles   H.    Park  was   called,  and  on  8  May,   in- 

*  Compiled  for  ' '  Histor}'-  of  Rockland  Count)^, ' '  by  Wiiithrop  S. 
Gilmaii,  Jr. 


230  HISTORY   OF 

stalled.  On  22  April  1873,  he  was  released.  On 
16  Sept.  following,  Mr.  Brown  H.  Emerson,  a 
licentiate  of  the  "Presbytery  of  New  York,"  was 
received.  He  was  ordained  ^^  sine  tittdo^'^^  and  ap- 
pointed Stated  Supply  at  Ridgebury,  on  the  30th. 
Mr.  Emerson  continued  until  i  Aug.  1875,  when 
Rev.  Theron  Brittain  succeeded  him,  and  has  re- 
mained as  Stated  Supply  until  the  present  time. 
Mr.  Emerson  was  dismissed  to  the  ' '  Presbytery  of 
Boston,"  on  18  April  1876. 

Four  have  entered  the  ministry  from  the  mem- 
bers of  this  church.  Rev.  IMessrs.  John  N.  Boyd, 
Lewis  Jessup,  Nathaniel  Elmer  and  Elijah  B. 
Wells. 

36.  ROCKLAND,  First. —This  church  is 
romantically  situated  on  the  Beaverkill,  in  the 
extreme  northern  angle  of  Sullivan  County. 

On  4  July  1850,  Mr.  James  Murdoch,  deeded 
the  lot  upon  which  the  meeting  house  stands  to 
the  "First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Rockland." 
The  society  became  much  weakened  by  deaths 
and  removals,  and  the  meeting  house  was  falling 
to  decay,  when,  on  11  Feb.  1880,  an  article  of 
agreement  was  entered  into  with  the  village  ' '  M. 
E.  Church," — which  had  enjoyed  the  free  use  of 
the  house  for  more  than  a  decade, — granting  them 
a  representation  in  the  Board  of  Trustees,  and  use 
of  the  building  for  religious  worship,  one-half  the 
time,  on  condition  of  fairly  proportioned  assistance 
in  effecting  repairs. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  231 

Supplies  were  furnished  by  Presbytery  for  sev- 
eral years,  during  which  the  membership,  reduced 
to  five,  all  females,  was  increased  to  twenty,  and 
two  elders  were  ordained.  On  i  Oct.  1883,  Rev. 
Henry  A.  Harlow  was  called,  for  one-quarter  of 
his  time.  He  served  them  as  pastor-elect,  until  i 
Jan.  1886,  when  their  call  was  returned.  During 
this  period-,  on  12  May,  1884,  the  church  was  in- 
corporated. Mr.  George  G.  Dewitt  contributed 
$10,  and  William  B.  Isham,  Esq.,  of  New  York 
city,  $50,  toward  the  cost  of  a  bell.  The  balance 
of  $27.90,  was  raised  by  the  congregation.  The 
new  bell  was  rung  for  the  first  time,  for  communion 
service  on  30  Aug.  1884.  Since  the  i  Jan.  1886, 
this  church  has  had  preaching  only  at  long  in- 
tervals. 

37.  SCOTCHTOWN.— The  Rev.  David  Beattie 
is  now  in  the  thirty-sixth  year  of  this,  his  only  pas- 
toral charge. 

38.  STONY  POINT.— On  3  July  1855,  the 
"Presbytery  of  New  York,"  organized  the  North' 
Haverstraw  Presbyterian  Church,  with  William 
Govan,  M.  D.,  as  elder.  A  meeting  house,  built 
in  1844,  was  purchased  from  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Haverstraw,  reconstructed  and  enlarged. 
In  i860,  its  corporate  title  was  recognized  as  the 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Stony  Point.  It  has  now, 
one  hundred  and  seventeen  members,  and  has 
maintained  a  flourishing  vSunday  School  from  the 
first  ;  of  which  Elder  William  H.  Rose  has  long 
been  the  efficient  Superintendent. 


232  HISTORY    OF 

Their  ministers  have  been, 
Rev.  Abijah  Green,  P.  B.,  -  1855  to  1857. 

"     David  Edgar,  S.  S.,        -         -     1857    "  1859. 

"     Frederick  LaRne  King,  P.,         i860   "  1867. 

"     James  J.  McMahon,  P.,  1868  to  18  Apr.  1876. 

On  22  Oct.  1879,  Mr.  R.  B.  Mattice  was  received 
from  the  "  Presbytery  of  New  York,"  and  on  19 
May  1880,  ordained  and  installed.  On  20  Oct. 
following,  he  was  released  and  dismissed  to  the 
"  Presbytery  of  Westchester. "  On  25  April,  Mr. 
Thomas  C.  Straus  was  received  from  the  "  Presby- 
tery of  Athens,"  ordained  and  installed.  On  11 
Mar.  1884,  Mr.  Straus  was  released  and  dismissed 
to  the  "  Presbytery  of  North  River."  On  29  Dec. 
1885,  Rev.  John  S.  Gilmor,  the  present  pastor,  was 
received  from  the  "  Presbytery  of  New  York,"  and 
installed. 

39.  UNIONVILLE.— On  22  April  1884,  the 
quarter-century  pastorate  of  Rev.  Henry  F.  Wads- 
worth  was  closed.  It  was  ' '  with  extreme  regret 
that  the  Presbytery  consented"  to  his  release,  and 
in  doing  so  "expressed  the  earnest  hope  that  the 
congregation  would  not  simply  give  him  a  dona- 
tion, as  proposed,  but  pay  him  his  salary  in  full  to 
the  date  of  release,  in  addition."  Three  ministers 
in  active  service  were  raised  up  in  this  congrega- 
tion during  Mr.  Wadsworth's  pastorate. 

On  5  May  1885,  Rev.  J.  Napier  Husted  was 
called.  He  "  had  leave  to  hold  the  call  under  con- 
sideration," and  still  serves  that  people  as  pastor 
elect. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  233 

40.  WALDBERG,  (Rockland  Lake).— In  1859, 
this  church  appears  on  the  roll  of  the  ' '  Presbytery 
of  New  York  ; ' '  Rev,  James  S.  King,  pastor.  In 
i860,  it  is  called,  "  Waldberg,"  and  the  next  year 
is  marked,  vacant.  In  1862,  Rev.  Archibald  S. 
Stewart  became  pastor.  Early  in  1870,  he  was  re- 
leased ;  and  on  17  April  1871,  he  was  enrolled  in 
this  Presbytery,  and  dismissed  on  14  Aug.,  to  the 
' '  Presbytery  of  Eackawanna. ' ' 

Mr.  George  E.  Northrup  became  Stated  Supply  in 
1 87 1,  was  received  from  the  "  Presbytery  of  New 
York,"  17  Sept.  1872,  and  installed  on  the  30th. 
He  was  released  on  i  May  1876,  and  became 
Stated  Supply  at  Cochecton.  On  8  May  1877, 
Presbytery  was  petitioned  by  both  these  churches 
to  inquire  into  their  common  complaint.  All  their 
difficulties  seem  to  crystallize  around  the  household 
of  Mr.  Northrup.  A  commission  with  power,  was 
appointed.  In  the  meantime  the  affairs  of  the 
Waldberg  Church  becoming  complicated  with  a 
suit  in  the  Civil  Courts,  Presbyterial  action  was 
suspended  ;  until  the  final  decision  of  the  Court  of 
Appeals,  rendered  any  further  action  unnecessary. 
On  20  Sept.  1 88 1,  Mr.  Northrup  was  dismissed  to 
the  "  Presbytery  of  Binghamton." 

The  Waldberg  Church  however  became  dis- 
integrated, the  Session  of  the  Hempstead  Church 
was  authorized  to  give  certificates  to  its  members, 
and  the  name  was  dropped  from  the  roll. 


234  HISTORY   OF 

41-  WASHINGTONVILLB,  First.*— On  17 
April  1 87 1,  Rev.  John  V.  Griswold  was  released,  and 
on  19  Sept.,  dismissed  to  the  "  Classis  of  Long 
Island."  On  17  Oct.  1871,  Rev.  James  B.  Beau- 
mont was  received  from  the  "Presbytery  of 
Chemung,"  and  on  8  Nov.,  installed.  On  23  Dec. 
1 88 1,  he  was  released  and  dismissed  to  the  "  Pres- 
bytery of  Morris  and  Orange.  In  June  1882,  Rev. 
George  W.  Morrill  became  Stated  Supply,  and  so 
continued  until  6  Sept.  1884. 

An  effort  toward  the  re-union  of  the  two  congre- 
gations was  then  made,  and  for  three  months  they 
worshiped  together.  The  time  however  seemed 
not  to  have  come  for  this  desirable  result. 

In  Nov.  1886,  Rev.  Joseph  Greenleaf  was  called. 
On  19  April  1887,  he  was  received  from  the 
"Presbytery  of  Westchester,"  and  on  10  May  fol- 
lowing, installed. 

This  church  ranks  first  in  the  Presbyter}^,  in 
proportion  to  its  membership,  for  benevolent  cc)n- 
tributions.  In  1887,  the  average  was  $4.87)^  per 
member.  With  church  and  parsonage  in  good  re- 
pair, free  of  debt  and  refurnished,  they  are  in  a 
good  condition,  and  well  equipped  for  usefulness. 

42.  WASHINGTONVILLB,  Second.— On  17 
Oct.  187 1,  Rev.  Arthur  Harlow  was  released.  On 
19  June  1873,  he  departed  this  life.  In  1872,  Rev. 
Benjamin  G.  Benedict  became  Stated  Supply,  and 
so  remained  until  1875,  when  he  was  succeeded  by 


Local  Histor)'  by  Hon.  Augustus  Deiiniston. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  235 

Rev.  Nathan  M.  Sherwood.  Mr.  Sherwood  was 
received  from  the  ' '  Presbytery  of  Chemung, ' '  on 
21  Sept  1875,  and  supplied  this  church  until 
1885.  On  7  May  1878,  Mr.  Benedict  was  dis- 
missed to  the  "Presbytery  of  Brooklyn."  On  19 
April  1886,  Mr.  Eugene  L.  Mapes,  a  licentiate  of 
the  "Presbytery  of  New  York,"  was  received,  and 
on  27th,  ordained  "  sine  titiiloy  On  3  May  1887, 
he  was  installed.  On  24  Jan.  1888,  he  was  re- 
leased and  dismissed  to  the  "Presbytery  of  Car- 
lisle." Since  his  departure  the  parsonage  has 
been  sold. 

43.  WESTTOWN.— On  21  Sept.  1875,  Rev. 
Duncan  C.  Niven  was  released,  and  dismissed  to 
the  "Presbytery  of  North  River."  On  19  Sept. 
1878,  a  call  was  made  upon  Rev.  Laurens  T. 
Shuler.  On  18  Oct.,  he  was  received  from  the 
"  Presbytery  of  Newton,"  and  on  9  Nov.,  installed. 
On  25  Jan.  1881,  Mr.  Shuler  was  released  and 
dismissed  to  the  "  Presbytery  of  Jersey  City."  On 
19  April  1881,  Rev.  James  B.  Fisher,  the  present 
pastor,  was  received  from  the  "  Presbytery  of 
Binghamton,"  and  on  9  June  installed. 

44.  WHITE  LAKE.— On  14  June  1871,  Rev. 
Elijah  B.  Wells  was  leleased,  and  on  19  Sept.,  dis- 
missed to  the  "  Presbytery  of  Chemung."  On  16 
April  1872,  the  church  had  leave  to  employ  Rev. 
Edwin  Town,  of  the  "  Presbytery  of  Lackawanna," 
as  supply.  In  1873,  the  pulpit  again  became 
vacant.  On  21  April  1874,  Rev.  George  Hoo'd 
was  called.     On  25  June,  he  was  received  from  the 


236  HISTORY   OF 

"Presbytery  of  Chester,"  and  remained  pastor 
elect,  until  22  April  1879,  when  he  returned  the 
call,  and  on  20  Oct.,  was  dismissed  to  the  "Min- 
nesota Congregational  Association."  On  29  April 
1880,  Rev.  Robert  A.  Blackford,  the  present  pas- 
tor, was  received  from  the  "Presbytery  of  West- 
chester," and  on  22  Sept.  following,  installed. 

To  these  forty-four  churches  there  were  three 
added  during  this  period,  viz.  : 

I.  ROCKLAND,  Second.— This  church,  at 
Roscoe,  in  Sullivan  County,  was  organized  on  16 
April  1842,  with  five  members,-  two  of  whom  were 
elders.  On  11  June  they  instructed  their  delegate 
to  the  "Presbytery  of ^  Delaware,"  to  request 
admission  to  that  body.  Supplies  were  appointed 
and  the  ordinances  administered  at  long  intervals, 
until,  at  the  end  of  thirty-one  years,  the  member- 
ship was  reduced  to  two  ;    an  elder  and  his  wife. 

In  the  Spring  of  1873,  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson 
appointed  Rev.  George  Hood,  pastor  elect  at  White 
Lake,  to  labor  as  their  missionary  in  this  field. 
On  17  Sept.  1873,  the  church  was  received  under 
the  care  of  this  Presbytery.  In  Oct.  1875,  Mr. 
Hood's  labors  ceased  and  the  membership  had 
increased  to  thirteen.  In  1877,  Rev.  James  Norris 
began  to  supply  them  at  long  intervals  and  con- 
tinued until  the  Spring  of  1882.  Mr.  T.  Cumming 
Beattie,  in  1882,  and  Mr.  James  A.  McWilliams 
in  1883,  spent  their  summer  vacations  with  the 
First  and  Second  Rockland,  and  Purvis  Churches. 
In  Oct.    1883,   Rev.    Henry  A.    Harlow,  began  to 


HUDSON   PRKSBYTKRY.  237 

labor  on  this  field,  preaching  for  this  church  once 
in  two  weeks,  and  so  continues  to  do.  On  11  Feb. 
1884,  an  effort  was  begun  to  provide  a  house  of 
worship.  On  19  April,  the  church  was  regularly 
incorporated.  In  July,  ground  was  broken  and 
work  begun  on  the  meeting  house,  which  was 
completed  and  dedicated,  on  17  Dec.  1884.  ^^^ 
entire  cost  was  $2,400,  of  which  $500  was  received 
from  the  Board  of  Church  Erection.  In  June,'  a 
bell,  weighing  844  lbs.,  was  procured  from  "  Mc- 
Shane,"  of  Baltimore.  To  the  expense  of  this, 
Stoddard  Hammond,  Sr. ,  contributed  $100,  John 
R.  Ford,  Esq.,  of  New  York  City,  $50,  and  the 
balance,  about  $20,  was  raised  by  the  congregation. 
There  are  twenty-five  members. 

2.  LIVINGSTON  MANOR.  —On  1 1  Jan.  1 880, 
a  committee  of  Presbytery  organized  the  "  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Purvis."  it  was  taken  under  the 
care  of  Presbytery  on  20  April,  and  recommended 
to  the  Board  of  Church  Erection  for  aid,  to  the  ex- 
tent of  $500,  in  building  a  house  of  worship.  The 
house  was  completed,  with  a  "Troy"  bell  in  the 
steeple,  at  a  cost  of  about  $2,300.  It  was  dedi- 
cated on  9  Jan.  1881. 

The  pulpit  was  supplied  by  Rev.  Messrs.  James 
Norris,  John  N.  Husted  and  David  Beattie,  Elder  P. 
H.  Woolsey,  and  Students,  T.  Cumming  Beattie  and 
James  A.  Mc Williams,  until,  on  i  Oct.  1883,  Rev. 
Henry  A.  Harlow  was  commissioned  by  the  Board 
of  Missions  to  labor  in  the  town  of  Rockland,  eiv- 
ing  one-half  his  time  to  the  Purvis  Church.      A 


238  HISTORY   OF 

neat  and  commodious  parsonage  was  completed  in 
Jul}^  1884,  at  a  cost  of  $1,500.  Of  this  sum, 
Messrs.  John  R.  Ford  and  William  B.  Isham,  of 
New  York,  contributed  I150.  On  5  Oct.,  1886, 
after  due  legal  notice,  the  church  was  incorporated 
as  the  "Presbyterian  Church  of  lyivingston  Manor." 
It  contributes  to  all  the  Boards  of  the  Church,  has 
sixty-three  members,  and  a  flourishing  Sunday 
School  of  about  one  hundred  scholars. 

3.  NYACK,  German.— On  4  March  1886,  this 
church  was  organized,  by  a  committee  of  Presbytery, 
with  eighty-six  members  and  two  elders.  On  5  May 
following,  Rev.  Adolph  Schabehorn  was  installed. 
Measures  were  at  once  undertaken  to  secure  a 
house  of  worship.  On  19  April  1887,  charges 
were  presented  impeaching  the  ministerial  and 
moral  character  of  Mr.  Schabehorn.  "  A  com- 
mission, with  power  to  investigate  and  adjudicate," 
was  appointed.  On  31  May,  agreeably  to  the 
report  of  the  commission,  Mr.  Schabehorn  was  re- 
buked in  the  Presbytery  for'  "indulgence  in  wine 
and  beer  as  a  beverage,  and  for  indiscretion  in  con- 
versation." Mr.  Schabehorn  becomingly  sub- 
mitted to  the  censure.  His  pastoral  relation  to 
the  German  Church  of  Nyack  was  dissolved,  and 
he  remains  in  charge  of  the  Clarkstown  Church, 
alone.  The  Nyack  organization  has  a  lot  valued 
at  $1,400,  upon  which  they  hope  sooji  to  build. 
A  young  student  is  now  preaching  for  them  with  a 
good  prospect  of  becoming  their  pastor. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

ANALYSIS    OF    THE     PERIOD    OF     RE-UNION. — CON- 
CLUSION. 

This  most  interesting  period,  with  its  abundant 
material  must  be  left  to  the  mellowing  influence  of 
time,  for  the  future  historian's  use.  It  has  been 
a  period  of  wonderful  development  in  material 
things.  In  the  fields  of  literature,  educational 
interests  and  applied  science,'  the  world  has  never 
known  its  parallel.  The  christian  church  has 
been  forced  to  fulfil  her  mission  under  new  condi- 
tions. Heretofore  she  had  thought  only  of  pene- 
trating the  darkness  of  heathenism  with  the  light 
of  the  gospel  :  but  within  these  eighteen  years, 
heathenism  has  mingled  its  beliefs  with  those  of 
Christianity,  as  extensively  and  diligently  as  Chris- 
tianity has  prevaded  heathenism.  The  prophecy 
of  Zechariah  is  being  fulfilled  before  our  eyes. 
"It  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the  light 
shall  not  be  clear  nor  dark  :  But  it  shall  be  one 
day  which  shall  be  known  to  the  Lord,  not  day, 
nor  night  :  but  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  at  even- 
ing time  it  shall  be  light."*  The  preacher  of 
Christ,  as  he  hears  the  Sunday  Papers  cried  before 
his  church,  while  the  voice  of  prayer  is  drowned 
and  the  ear  of  devotion  is  stunned  by  the  whistle 

^  Zech.  xiv  :  6,  7. 

(239) 


240  HISTORY    OF 

and  roar  of  Sunday  Railroad  Traffic,  preaches 
under  conditions  similar  to  those  of  his  co-presbyter 
in  Syria  or  Shantung.  He  often  feels  his  helpless- 
ness in  stemming  the  godless  greed  of  the  time, 
and  finds  his  religious  sensibilities  shocked  and 
blunted  by  the  audacity  with  which  wickedness  is 
defended.  The  promise  "that  at  evening  time  it 
shall  be  light,"  sustains,  but  faith  is  sometimes 
staggered,  and  if  the  groaning  could  be  uttered 
it  might  be,  how  long  Lord,  before  that  "evening 
time  "  shall  come? 

But  the  shadows  are  deep  because  more  light  is 
radiated  from  the  golden  candlesticks  amidst 
which  Christ  walks  in  his  beauty  and  majesty. 

The  benevolent  work  of  the  church  is  more 
thoroughly  systematized  and  more  intelligently 
done  ;  and  gifts  to  the  Lord's  treasury  have 
steadily  increased  in  amount. 

This  Presbytery  is  said,  in  1885,  to  "easily  take 
the  lead  of  its  sister  Presbyteries  with  its  increase  of 
108  contributions  to  the  Boards,"*  and  in  1887, 
to  have  made  "an  advance  in  the  average  per 
member,  without  a  parallel  in  the  last  nine 
years. ' '  f 

Ou  18  April  1876,  the  Presbytery  became  a  cor- 
porate body,  under  the  statute  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  (May  1887,)  and  elected  a  Board  of  Trustees. 

On  16  Sept.  1884,  a  bequest  of  $1,000,   by  Mr. 


"■•  Mill,  of  Synod  of  New  York,  18S5,  p.  ^3. 
t  Ibid.,  1887,  p.  17. 


HUDSON   PRESBYTERY.  241 

Henry  W.  Owen,  of  Elmira,  to  the  Presbytery  of 
Hudson,  was  paid.  Whereupon  it  was  Re- 
solved, "  That  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson 
makes  grateful  acknowledgment  to  Jesse  Owen 
and  James  H.  Owen,  executors  of  the  last  will 
and  testament  of  Henry  W.  Owen,  deceased, 
of  the  payment  to  this  Presbyter}^  of  the  bequest 
of  $1,000,  by  their  late  father  in  the  establishment 
of  the  "^Owen  Fund,"  the  interest  of  which  is  to 
be  perpetually  applied  by  the  Presbytery  to  the 
education  of  young  men  preparing  for  the  min- 
istry.": 

On  21  April  ;i885,  Mr.  George  G.  DeWitt,  Sr., 
of  Nyack,  N.  Y.,  gave  the  sum  of  $1,000,  to  the 
Presbytery  as  a  "  Thank  Offering. ' '  Whereupon 
Presbytery]  Resolved,  "That,  with  grateful  pleas- 
ure, they  express  appreciation  of  the  generous  gift 
by  Elder,  George  G.  DeWitt,  of  Nyack,  of  $1,000, 
to  be  securely  invested,  and  the  income  thereof  to 
be  used,  in  perpetuity,  by  this  Presbytery,  to  aid 
in  supplying  the  preached  gospel  to  feeble  churches 
in  its  jurisdiction,  and  especially  in  the  county  of 
Sullivan,"* 

In  April  1887,  Mr.  DeWitt  supplemented  this 
with  an  addition  of  $500,  to  be  used  as  expressed 
in  the  original  gift.f 

A  larger  proportion  of  the  members  of  churches 


I  Mill,  of  Presb.,  Vol.  x,  p.  165. 
^  Mill,  of  Presb.,  Vol.  x,  p.  17S. 
t  Ibid.,  p.  265. 
16 


242  HISTORY   OF 

than  ever  before  are  finding  a  place  to  work  in  the 
vineyard.  The  "Cent  Societies"  of  the  earlier 
part  of  the  Century,  during  this  period,  developed 
into  the  "  Womans'  Executive  Committee  of  Home 
Missions,"  which  was  organized  on  12  Dec.  1878. 
Auxiliary  to  this,  there  are  twenty-seven  "Ladies' 
Missionary  Societies"  and  seven  "Mission  Bands," 
in  the  congregations  of  this  Presbytery.  In  April 
1887,  they  reported  a  membership  of  1,126,  and 
had  contributed  during  the  year  $1,089,  with 
various  packages  and  boxes  valued  at  $982. 

In  addition  to  the  development  of  benevolence 
and  the  more  general  enlistment  of  the  people  in 
the  work  of  faith  and  labor  of  love,  this  period  may 
well  be  characterised  as  the  period  of  statistics. 
Every  year  adds  somewhat  to  the  labors  of  the 
Stated  Clerk,  and  makes  easier  the  labor  of  the 
historian  of  the  next  Century. 

On  21  Oct.  1874,  it  was  found  necessary  to  pro- 
cure a  Safe,  at  an  expense  of  $76.37,  for  the  pre- 
servation   of   the    papers,    securities    and   records, 

belonmno-  to  the  Presbvterv.      A  much   laroer  one 

00  •>       -  <_> 

is  imperatively  needed  to-day. 

It  would  be  a  pleasant  task  to  give,  for  permanent 
record,  a  survev  of  the  Missionary  territory  of  this 
Presbytery  :  but  the  words  of  the  Master  must 
suffice,  which  are  certainly  applicable  :  "Ye  have 
the  poor  with  you  always,  and  whensoever  ye  will 
ye  may  do  them  good."'^' 


■^  Mark  xiv  :  7. 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY.  243 

The  importance  of  Siinday  School  work  is  more 
fully  appreciated,  and  has  grown  to  be  one  of  the 
many  bonds  with  which  Christianity  is  enclosing 
all  nations.  The  schools  of  this  Presbytery  report 
5,072  scholars. 

The  number  of  communicants  has  varied  but 
little  from  year  to  year,  With  5,573  in  1871,  there 
was  a  rapid  increase  to  6,372  in  1874.  The  lowest 
number  after  that  was  5,720  in  1885,  ^^^^  ^^^  ^887, 
there  were  5,826  reported. 

The  names  of  Bloomingburgh,  Damascus, 
Florida  Second,  and  Waldberg,  have  disappeared 
from  the  list  of  churches,  and  those  of  Livingston 
Manor,  Nyack  German,  and  Rockland  Second, 
have  been  added.  From  the  roll  of  ministers  in 
1870,  no  fewer  than  sixteen  have  gone  ''To  the 
General  Assembly  and  Church  of  the  first-born, 
which  are  written  in  heaven,  "f  and  thirteen  still 
remain. 

In  conclusion,  while  no  forecast  of  the  future  of 
this  ecclesiastical  body  need  be  attempted,  it  is 
fair  and  proper  to  infer  from  its  history,  that,  only 
when  it  shall  lose  siglit  of  its  high  function  of 
guardianship  against  false  teachers  and  unscriptural 
teachings,  will  there  be  any  decay  of  vital  piety  in 
its  churches. 

And  the  first  indicatiou  of  such  shortsightedness 
may  be  detected  in    a  gushing  sentimentality  on 


t  Heb.  xii  :  2' 


244  HISTORY   OF 

the  one  hand,  or  a  criminal  carelessness  on  the  other, 
in  respect  to  lowering  the  standard  of  qualification 
for  membership  in  its  own  ranks. 

"  It  SHALL  come  to  pass,  that  at  evening  time  it 
shall  be  light." 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY. 


245 


VAI^UE  OF  THE  PROPERTY  OWNED  BY  THE  CHURCHES 


IN  THE  PRESBYTERY  OF  HUDSON,    I 


CHURCHES. 

Meetiyig 
House. 

Parson- 
age. 

Other 
Property. 

Debt. 

Amity, 

$5,000 

$4,000 

Callicoon, 

1,800 

$    200 

Centreville, 

4,000 

2,000 

$    100 

Chester, 

13,000 

3,000 

1. 000 

Circleville, 

2,500 

1,200 

300 

Clarkstown,  (German,) 

2,500 

Cochecton, 

2,500 

30 

Denton, 

4,500 

8,000 

Florida, 

6,000 

2,000 

2,000 

Goodwill, 

8,000 

2,500 

4.500 

Goshen, 

160,000 

10,000 

1,500 

5,250 

Greenbush, 

3.700 

3,300 

800 

Hamptonburgh , 

3,000 

1,500 

1,600 

Haverstraw,  First, 

5,000 

Haverstraw,  Central, 

10.000 

3,000 

Hempstead, 

1,200 

1,400 

Hopewell, 

10,000 

1,500 

150 

Jefferson ville,  ( German, ) 

2,000 

1,000 

1,000 

200 

Liberty, 

3,500 

2,000 

Livingston  Manor, 

2,000 

1,200 

Middletown,  First, 

60,000 

9,000 

8,000 

Middletown,  Second, 

15.000 

7,000 

Milford, 

1 8, 000 

1,800 

1,200 

800 

Monroe, 

6,500 

3.500 

500 

400 

Monticello, 

7,000 

4,000 

300 

Montgomery, 

6,000 

2,500 

Mount  Hope, 

1,000 

1,500 

500 

Nyack, 

25,000 

7,000 

5,000 

Nyack,  (German,) 

1,400 

Otisville, 

4,000 

3,000 

Palisades, 

4.500 

4,500 

Port  Jervis, 

10,000  ? 

7,000  ? 

246 


HUDSON    PRESBYTERY. 


CHURCHES. 

Meeting 
House. 

Parson- 
age. 

Othei'     j^,. 
Property.  ^'^^- 

Raniapo, 

2,500 

Ridgebury, 

3-500 

1,500 

200 

Rockland,  First, 

1,200 

Rockland,  Second, 

2,500 

Scotchtown, 

4,000  ? 

3,000  ? 

Stony  Point, 

10,000 

Unionxnlle, 

3.500 

1,500 

75 

Washingtonville,  First, 

5,000 

3,000 

500 

Wasliingtonville,  Second, 

5,000 

3,100  ? 

1,500? 

Westtown, 

7,000 

1,200 

400 

White  Lake, 

2,500 

600 

700 

Totals,         1:452,900     $104,300     125,800     1:22,305 
Net  valuation  of  cliurcli  propert3%  -  -  $§6o,6g§. 


PROPERTY  HELD  BY  TRUSTEES  OF  THE  PRESBYTERY. 

"  Owen  "  Education  Fund,  Sept.  1884,  invested  ((v.  6  per 

cent,  bond  and  mortgage,  _  .  .  |i,ooo 

"  Thank  Offering. "      Home  Missions,  invested  in  part  @  6  per 
cent,  bond  and  mortgage,         -  -  -  -         1,500 

One  Safe,  ______  75 


Minutes  of  General  Assembly  from  1788  to  1888. 

A  copy  of  the  early  Records  of  the  Presbytery  of  New 

York. 
Complete  Records  of  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson,  8  vols. 

quarto  and  5  folio. 
Files  of  original  papers. 


|2,575 


INDEX. 


Associated  Presbyteries,  22,  24,  31,  120. 

Analysis  of  the  Periods,  27,  69,  117,  179,  239. 

Ameiiia,  60. 

Amity,  55,  87,  138,  206. 

Arbuckle,  Rev.  Jas.,  88-90. 

American  Education  Society,  123,  190. 

American  S.  S.  Union,  117, 

American  H.  M.  Society,  124.  125. 

Bedford,  8,  9,  35. 

Bethany,  28,  67. 

Bethlehem,  15,  17,  35,  88,  139. 

Bloomingburgh,  170,  206. 

Blooming  Grove,  62,  88. 

Bounds  of  Hudson  Presbyter}-,  5,  33,  69. 

Bible  Society,  78. 

CARBONDAI.E,  112. 

Callicoon,  163,  206. 

Centreville,  111,  140,  207. 

Chester,  51,  90,  140,  208. 

Circleville,  160,  207. 

Civil  Disabilities  in  Colonial  Times,  9,  10,  11,  31. 

Cochecton,  58,  91,  141,  209,  210. 

Cookhouse,  47. 

Clarkstown,  German,  208. 

Cent  Societies,  122,  77,  242. 

Causes  of  Disturbance  in  Church  Life,  28-32. 

Communicants,  81,  203-205,  243. 

Charges  bj-  an  alien  prosecutor  not  entertained,  209. 

(247) 


248  INDEX. 

Damascus.  170,  209. 

Denton,  144,  210. 

Deer  Park,  25,  38,  91,  143,  225. 

Doctrine,  130,  194. 

Dutchess  Presbytery,  Records  of,  24. 

Dutchess  Presb3'tery,  Organized,  23. 

Division,  Official  Acts  of,  131-135. 

Division,  Source  of,  119-122,  186-188. 

Division,  Test  Vote  on,  132. 

Division  of  the  Synod,  133. 

Doctrine,  130,  194. 

Evidences  of  the  Presb3-tery's  Fidelity,  70-81. 
Education,  Presbyterian  Board,  123. 
Education,  Ministerial,  79,  80,  122,  189. 
Education,  Fund,  241. 
Excision  of  the  Four  Synods,  131,  188. 

Fjshkii,!,,  (Rumbout,)  24,  39. 

Florida,  First,  22,  23,  39,  93,  144,  211. 

Florida,  Second.  145,  211. 

Forestburgh,  1U5. 

Franklin,  0,  17,  18,  19,  41. 

Foreign  Missions,  128,  129,  185,  192. 

Generai.  Tax  to  Support  Episcopacy,  9,  10. 

Goshen,  10,  12,  13,  44,  95,  14(3,  215. 

Greenbush,  59,  96,  217. 

Goodwill,  (Wallkill),  13,  15,  42,  93,  145,  215. 

Haverstraw,  First,  63,  97,  146,  219. 
Haverstraw,  Central,  219. 
Hamptonburgh,  161,  218. 
Hempstead,  97,  149,  220. 
Honesdale,  112. 
Hopewell,  16,  45,  98,  150,  221. 
Hortonville,  171. 

Inherent  Vitality  of  the  Presbyterian  Body,  189,  196. 
Inherent  Vitalitv  :  Reasons  for  its  Wholesome  Influence,  196. 


INDEX.  249 

Inherent  Vitality  :  Effects  of  its  Influence,  197. 

Influence  of  Secular  Affairs -upon  the  Church,  29,  31,  180-182. 

Incorporation  of  Presbytery,  240. 

jKFFERSONVii^iyE;,  German,  167,  221. 

Liberty,  58,  99,  150,  222. 
Ivivingston  Manor,  237. 

Marlborough,  56. 

Middletown,- First,  106,  151,  222. 

Middletown,  vSecond,  165,  223. 

Migration  from  New  England,  34. 

Milford,  109,  151,  224. 

Milk  Question,  184,  185. 

Missions,  Home,  75,  124,  191. 

Missions,  Foreign,  128,  192. 

Mission  Bands,  242. 

Monroe,  113,  152,  224. 

Montgomery,  114,  152. 

Monticello,  65,  100,  153. 

Mount  Hope,  (Deer  Park),  92,  225. 

Mount  Pleasant,  109. 

Morris  County  Associated  Presbytery,  22,  31.  120. 

Newburgh,  17,  45. 
New  Windsor,  17,  45. 
New  Lights,  or  Separates,  28. 
New  Paltz,  5G. 
New  Town,  50. 
North  Branch,  166. 
Nyack,  6],  96,  226. 
Nyack,  German,  238. 

OTISVII.1.E,  60. 

Oflficial  Acts  of  Reunion,  198-203. 

Peekskiei.,  60. 
Patriotism,  182. 
Periods,  7,  8,  33,  136,  206. 


250  INDEX. 

Presbytery  of  Hudson,  Origin,  5. 

Presbyter}'  of  Hudson,  Divisions,  84,  118,  119. 

Presbytery  of  Hudson.  Roll  of  Ministers,  6,  85,  137,  138,  203. 

Presb\i:ery  of  Hudson,  Roll  of  Churches,  6,  85,  137,  138,  203. 

Presbytery  of  North  River,  Roll,  84. 

Pleasant  Valley  and  Pittsburgh,  20,  21,  47. 

Pleasant  Valley,  West,  59. 

Pine  Plains,  65. 

Pou'keepsie,  21,  64. 

Port  Jervis,  165. 

Plan  of  Union,  34,  119,  120,  130,  131,  186. 

Permanent  Committees  on  Church  Work,  190-196. 

Public  morals,  80. 

Polity,  125,  193. 

Ramapo  Works,  171. 

Ridgebury,  61,  101,  154,  229. 

Reasons  for  Re-union,  189. 

Rockland,  First,  170. 

Rockland,  Second,  236 

Rockland  Lake,  (Waldberg,)  164,  233. 

Rondout,  116. 

Rumbout,  (Fishkill,)  24,  39. 

Sai^Km,  23,  48. 

Scotchtown,  50,  101,  155,  231. 

Smithfield,  59. 

Somers,  59. 

South  Bast,  (Union,)  19,  20,  49. 

Stony  Point,  231. 

Sunday  Schools,  117,  243. 

Temperance,  118, 183. 

Traffic  in  and  use  of  Strong  Drink,  183. 

Thank  Offering  Fund,  241. 

Union,  (South  East,)  19,  20,  49. 
Union,  (In  Beekman,  Dutchess  Co.,)  58. 
Unionville,  114,  155,  232. 


INDEX.  251 


Vote  on  Re-union,  200. 
Vote  on  Division,  132. 

Wai.i.kii.1.,  (Goodwill),  13-15,  42,  74,  93,  145,  215. 

Wapping's  Creek,  55. 

Warwick,  22,  23,  39,  40,  73. 

Washington ville.  First,  159,  234. 

Washingtonville,  Second,  168,  234. 

Westtown,  First,  54,  102,  156,  235. 

Westtown,  Second,  156. 

White  Dake,'  66,  103,  157,  235. 

Westchester  Associated  Presbyter}^  24,  31,  106,  120. 

Waldberg,  (Rockland  Lake,)  164,  233. 

YORKTOWN,  52. 


CORRIGENDA. 


Footnote,  p.  31,  for  "Matt.,"  read  "Isaiah." 

On  p.  41,  for  "McNice,"  read  "McNeice." 

On  p.  49,  after  the  period  in  the  8th  line,  insert  this  sentence  : 
On  22  Sept.  1813,  Rev.  Jacob  Burbank  was  installed,  and  on  16 
April  1817,  he  was  released. 

On  p.  50,  5th  line,  for  "  1790,"  read  "  ITOG." 

On  p.  51,  19th  line,  for  "Two  other,"  substitute  "Three." 

On  p.  52,  14th  and  16th  lines,  for  "Thompson,"  read 
"Thomas." 

On  p.  85,  16th  line,  for  "Bain"  read  "Blain." 

On  p.  180,  8th  line,  for  "was,"  read  "war." 

Foot  note,  p.  192,  for  "MSS,"  read  "N.  S." 

On  p.  127,  9th  and  13th  lines,  substitute  "colons  "  for  periods, 
and  follow  with  "then,"  "and." 

On  p.  131,  in  16th  line,  insert,  "would  be,"  after  "di\4sion." 

On  p.  185,  begin  a  new  paragraph  with  8th  line  :  "  But  little 
disciplinary  work,  etc." 

On  p.  193,  read  in  2d  line  from  bottom,  "  On  23  April." 

On  p.  221,  for  "Landan,"  read  "I^andau." 

On  p.  227,  2d  line  from  bottom,  after  "  18  Mar.,"  read  "1884." 

On  p.  231,  3d  line,  for  five  females,  all,"  read,  "five,  all 
females," 

On  p.  232  6th  line  from  bottom,  read  "Three  ministers  now 
in  active  service." 

On  p.  240,  2d  line  from  bottom,  for  "  1887,"  read  "  1875." 


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